Childe of Wynter
by Drakenn
Summary: Chamber of Secrets and the events inside affected someone and unveiled secrets about them. What more happened? Read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – Welcome! Dresden Files are one of my favorite book series and elements from them appeared in a story or two I wrote. Now I decided it is a good moment to write something wholly focused on them.**

 **Read, enjoy and review!**

The ink poured out of the gaping wound in the diary. Harry's hand wrapped around the fang still buried in the paper. He hissed in pain as something happened to him.

As if a long forgotten dam. Deep inside of him finally burst open and power rushed forth. Primal and wild. Searing hot and freezing cold.

Yet there was something strangely familiar to it. As if he knew it. It was so painful and strong that his grip on the broken fang slipped and he let out a wheezing, keening moan. His muscles let out last spasm and his body went limp. Unresponding and unmoving. Pain too much for the nerves.

The body wracked by pain, yet the mind was still sharp and clear. No matter the pain that was trying to cloud it.

An explosion of colors and energy filled the chamber. The arctic wind howled, crystals of ice and snow flying. A miniature blizzard came. The temperature dropping below zero, Harry's faint breathing turning into clouds of mist.

His head turned, each movement painful and slow. Eliciting moans of pain and suffering from Harry. He felt his whole body burn. Every second a world of pain.

Finally his head turned and his eyes were able to see. A lean, graceful figure was moving through it. Whatever it was, it was tall and he felt a twinge of something familiar hit him in the head like a sledgehammer.

A gust of wind blew aside the snow and ice and the being became clear. She was tall and lean. A mane of white hair flowing behind her. Her features sharp and angular, the eyes like emeralds and slitted like the eyes of a cat. Her lips were the color of frozen mullberries. She wore a simple green dress reinforced with armor and a sword rested in her hand.

Her eyes narrowed as she regarded Harry for a second with some curiosity. Then they swept towards the carcass of the basilisk. Before once again focusing her keen gaze on him.

Harry flinched. The gaze of those eyes was painful.

"Who are you?" the being asked, her voice carrying to it some authority. Authority Harry only saw before in Dumbledore.

Harry croaked, his voice betraying him for a second. Then he swallowed and whispered. "Harry Potter."

The being smiled and moved forward. Wherever she stepped, frost formed on the floor and some unearthly power flowed into the world. The air thrummed with it and gusts of wind swirled around her form as she approached Harry.

"Harry Potter," she pronounced slowly. "I never knew that my offspring would have such a mundane name." She paused and shook her head before looking at the basilisk. "The beast you have killed. It bit you."

Harry didn't say anything and simply looked at her. His mind too overwhelmed by the being calling him his offspring. He always longed for acknowledgement and acceptance. Always wanted some kind of a family, yet never had it. Now the whatever it was called him, her offspring.

She smiled and a small shudder passed down Harry's spine. "Venom of basilisk, the only substance capable of undoing any magic. Even that of a Sidhe Queen," she said and then her eyes narrowed as she looked towards the other end of the chamber. "Langtry! Step forward!" she called out. "I can sense you."

Her voice rung across the chamber. Harry felt a wave of magic wash over him. Yet he didn't really feel it as he wondered whom this Langtry guy was or what the Sidhe Queen was. He of course heard that word during History of Magic class. But for Professor Binns it always was a thing from myths and legends of the old.

An aged man in a white robe, his long white hair flowing freely down his back, a staff in his hand appeared out of nowhere. He reminded Harry much of the Professor Dumbledore, yet was something entirely else. There was no gentleness or kindness in his moves and he seemed arrogant.

"Your Majesty," he said with a slight curtsy. "You know why I am here."

There was a rippling noise and Harry's heard turned towards the source of it. Over three dozen humans in grey cloaks and with swords stepped out. They formed a loose line and moved slowly.

"The being of your power, ripping open a portal from the Nevernever, so close to Edinburgh couldn't pass unseen," Langtry said and then his gaze focused on Harry. "Also him. I can tell that you have some interest in him, Mab."

Now named Mab moved closer to Harry and placed herself between him and Langtry. "Merlin, you know whom I am," she said, her voice cold and harsh. "And you know my power, so close to the Nevernever." Harry could sense some glee in her voice. "Try me and we will see how will that end."

Langtry flinched visibly and then straightened. "I am aware of your power," he said and then paused. "But we also agreed not to rip open portals into Hogwarts. A thing you just did."

"We agreed not to bring our fights here," Mab said smoothly. "And me coming here is better than his father coming."

Harry's heart sped up as excitement hit him like a wave. Whoever this Mab was she knew something about his father. Possibly more than he so far heard about his parents.

Langtry narrowed his eyes and Harry felt as if a whip struck him across the face when the aged man looked at him. "He is that kid's father?" Langtry asked after a moment. His gaze once again focused on Mab.

"Yes," Mab said and placed her hand on Harry's head before murmuring few words. Too quietly even for Harry to understand.

When her hand touched his head Harry felt a wave of hot hit him. Wave of hot that washed over his body and he felt all of his injuries fade away as new energy filled him.

"So, dear Merlin," Mab said as she moved her hand away from Harry. "You have nothing to find here. Instead talk with the local wizards of yours and explain to them what happened." Her lips twitched. "Oh, of course don't mention my presence here. The less people know about me, the better."

Langtry's eyes narrowed and Harry could see his hand twitch around the staff. "I'm not your poster boy, Your Majesty," he spat, magic crackling around him. "And you have no power over me."

Mab tilted her head for a moment before wind whipped furiously and ice shards hurled themselves forth. Somehow avoiding Harry and not coming anywhere close to his form. "Yes, you're not my poster boy," she said and walked forward, her hips swaying sensually and making Harry's eyes focus on them. "But will duel here be a thing you want?" she asked. "You are here alone, without the rest of the Senior Council. The Wardens are of little importance for any of us and Arctis Tor is so close."

She paused and outside of the howling wind, peppering the room with shards of ice and snow there was no noise. Harry took this opportunity to reach out for his discarded wand and sword, and sit up. Some energy returned to his body and he didn't feel most of the pain that moments ago almost knocked him out.

After a moment magic dissapated and some tensions left the chamber. "Very well," Langtry said. "You can take him with you and be gone from here and I won't stop you. But he is to come here for the next school year so that we can watch him."

"I'll consider it," Mab said and glanced at Harry before murmuring a single word. "Sleep!"

Blackness overcame Harry and he crashed onto the floor, sleep taking hold of his mind. The wand and the sword slipped out of his grip. Clattering on the stones before coming to stillness.

o-0-o

Awareness came back slowly to Harry. He stirred in the most comfortable bed he ever slept in. His eyes opened and then he almost immediately blinked from the sharp light. He didn't expect to è hit by such an intense light and his eyes didn't adjust to brightness.

Once the tears were gone. He looked curiously around. He laid with pillows piled comfortably under his head and dozens of blankets wrapped around his form. The room, chamber for a lack of the better word was massive, yet he felt as if it belonged to him.

His movements weren't unseen and a graceful being walked through the doorway. She had short black hair, ice blue eyes and was obviously female and had a cat-like grace. That was all Harry could tell about her.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, his voice less croaky than it was in the Chamber. And in fact more melodic and alluring.

"Sarissa," she said with a tiny smile before sitting at his bedside and looking at him. "Mother asked me to treat you." Now named Sarissa scowled for a second and Harry felt a pang of anger fill her. "I saw warriors less brutalized than you."

Harry flinched at her words and tried to move away from her.

She noticed his movement and placed her hand on his. "It's alright," she said soothingly. "Magic can heal a lot and mother's spell fixed the issue with venom."

He took a deep breath and shook his head. Trying to avert his eyes from Sarissa's sizeable bust. "Mother?" he asked.

"Mab," Sarissa said with a faint smile. "You'll learn in due time whom exactly she is and what powers she has." Sarissa gave him a look and the smile brightened. "I think that you can leave the bed."

Harry looked at her and then at his own body, finally realizing that he was stark naked. Only the blankets covering his body. A blush quickly formed on his face, making Sarissa chuckle.

"Winter Fae are creatures of needs and passions," she said as her hand waved towards one of the walls. "There you will find clothes. Wardrobes are hidden there. But as I was saying, we are creatures of passions, desires and needs. So don't be ashamed of being naked and showing off your body."

Harry frowned, his mind slowly working and then his eyes narrowed as he looked at Sarissa. "What do you mean by, we?" he said and made her look at him. "I'm human, my parents were Lily and James Potter."

Sarissa laughed and threw her head back. Harry frowned even more, his confusion ever growing. Her behavior not helping him understand what did she mean. He was always told that his parents were humans, wizards, yes, but humans nonetheless and here he was sitting in bed, naked, and some girl was laughing at this idea.

"Sorry," she said after a long moment. "But if you were a human, you would be unable to survive here. You are in the heart of the land of Winter in the Nevernever. The magic all beings of winter have, let's them live here normally. Anything else will be turned into an ice cube or eaten alive by the wardens and monsters protecting it."

Harry paled as he looked at her, blinking in confusion. His mind trying to comprehend and somehow understand what she was telling him. "Are you telling me that I'm a freak?" he asked after a moment and her eyes immediately focused on him.

"No! You're not!" she said and paused, pursing her lips and thinking how to explain best what she wanted to say. "You are half winter fae, identity of your father, I know it, but for your own safety and whole Winter. It needs to be a secret." Sarissa smiled and ruffled Harry's hair, her breasts jiggling and getting his attention, his blush growing, making her grin.

"He was one of the reasons why did you grow up with whom you did." He flinched, making her correct herself. "I meant Lily and James. Hiding offsprings with humans is a thing we do when we don't want them attract attentions of the unsavory beings or enemies of their parents."

"Why would it be done?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Because for all the power Mab or any other being has, they have some limits to it and because killing assassins is troublesome," Sarissa said and then got up. "Dress up and I'll wait for you outside. We can continue talking in a more pleasant place."

o-0-o

It took Harry several moments before he managed to get dressed into clothes made from some material that was flowing between his fingers, yet looked sturdy and was incredibly soft. He shook his head in amusement, remembering the fairly rough material of the Hogwarts robes. Having done that he opened the door and stepped into a short hallway.

"You look good," Sarissa said with a smile, looking at his dark pants and lighter shirt. "And it is way more interesting than those robes you wore when you were brought here."

"What did happen to them?" Harry asked curiously as he followed her.

"Destroyed," Sarissa said with a look of distaste. "Covered in slime and basilisk venom. We didn't want to risk those two things getting out of control. Sorry, I know they mean a lot to you, but it was the only choice."

Harry nodded, his expression focused and in pain. He sighed and then looked at Sarissa. "I didn't ask you, but where are we?"

Sarissa's lips formed into smile. "Arctis Tor, fortress and seat of Mab," she explained as doors opened in front of them. A pair of guards nodding to her and moving out of their way. "It is also the place where you will live for the next couple of weeks as you try to get your powers under control."

Harry nodded and focused on the guards. They were tall, as graceful as Sarissa and had the same kind of cat-like grace, yet there was some primal brutality and cruelty to them. "Whom or what are they?"

"Sidhe," she explained. "The Fae are a lot of species and the Sidhe are the most humanoid and the most powerful ones." She paused and seeing his confusion she added. "The Sidhe are the nobility and look the most like humans. If careful, we can pass unseen in the human society."

"They look dangerous," he said and then cried out when a large cat appeared out of nowhere. "What that is?"

"Who that is?" the cat said, his voice making Harry's bones rattle. "I'm not some object, boy."

Harry scowled and backed away from the thing, looking at Sarissa who laughed. Her voice pearly, sweet and so enticing. Making his body react against him and stir his urges, urges he wasn't very aware of existing until few months ago.

"It's Grimalkin," Sarissa explained and sent an apologetic look at the cat. "He's one of the malks, cats of the Winter."

Grimalkin let out a huff, his claws growing longer. "People forget that I exist," he murmured, making Harry twitch and back further away. "They have no respect for me."

"Harry was recently rescued from Scotland," Sarissa said soothingly. "He can't know about you, he wasn't taught anything about the Nevernever and us." She then smiled. "He is with me, so get back to mother and tell her we're coming."

Grimalkin nodded and disappeared, letting Harry relax and take a couple of deep breaths as he tried to calm his running heart. The cat was scary and Harry didn't know if the thing was serious or no.

"Grimalkin is a pet of mother," Sarissa said and then a grin split her face. "In due time you'll get one on your own. The malks are useful, scary and dangerous, but useful."

Harry looked at her and shook his head. He thought that Hogwarts was a wonderful place, but this, but this was so much more. Better, more mysterious and more beautiful, and of all things he felt at home. As they walked through the vaulted chambers and corridors, blue, icy walls flashing with untold colors. Snow twirling outside in mysterious and intriguing patterns. He felt confident, safe and some kind of energy. No, he frowned. Magic, was filling him and everything around him. Mentioning it to Sarissa made her laugh.

"That's the power of Winter," she explained. "Your body was originally charmed to ignore all of magic, but that of human origin. The basilisk venom undid it. Now it is catching up on the fifteen years of being away from its source of power."

"Source of power?" Harry asked as they entered into a small chamber with a table and a score of chairs in the middle.

"All of Fae are beings of magic," someone spoke and Harry's head whipped towards the source of the sound. Mab, who sat on one of the chairs. "We are at our peak power when we are in an area filled with magic." She paused and Harry nodded in understanding. "Actually, that is true for all of what humans call wizards. When they are in areas filled with magic, they gain power." Then a smirk appeared on her face. "Why do you think that Hogwarts is near Forbidden Forest?"

"Because it is scary?" Harry asked, making Mab shake her head.

"No," she said, her expression stern and focused. "It's in the heart of Fae, half Summer, half Winter. Massive source of magical energy and nexus of few leylines." She then smiled, allowing some emotions to appear on her face. "You probably wonder whom I am and why did I have my daughter nurse you back to health."

Harry blushed, his cheeks red and him stuttering.

"I think that means yes," Sarissa said, placing her hand on Harry's shoulder. "He seems to have issues speaking when embarrassed."

Mab smirked and nodded. "He'll get over that in time," she said and and then her eyes glittered as she looked at Sarissa. "What did you tell him, daughter?"

"Nothing," Sarissa said, as she nudged Harry who finally snapped out of his stupor.

"So, uhm," Harry sputtered. "I didn't learn much about fairies."

Mab's eyes narrowed into a pair of slits and Sarissa tried to hold back a chuckle.

Harry looked at them, unaware of what was going on. The reaction from them was strange and he shuddered as some wave of anger and irritation washed over the place. "What?" he finally asked, his confusion, irritation and frustration coming to the front.

"Most of humans is stupid and ignorant," Sarissa said and sighed. "Fairies or pixies are the smallest, weakest and most numerous fae. Mother used, fae, not fairies to describe the whole, faeries or fae or fay is the name of every single species, kind and race of fae."

"Seems like I'll need to find some competent Loremaster to teach him about the various subtleties," Mab said and for a second silence fell onto the room as they focused on her. Something in her aura keeping them attracted to her. "I'm Queen Mab, Queen of the Winter Court, Queen of Air and Darkness," she said, each syllabe filled with authority and power not many had and making the room shudder from the waves of magic passing through it.

Harry felt those words slam into his body like a sledgehammer, each of them shaking him to the very core. There was something primal about them, something no other being could recreate in its fullness. All they could do was a pale imitation of the same authority, power and respect she had. Yet it also reminded him of some storm cloud speaking, of some force of nature being given flesh and blood.

His legs trembled and knees gave up under him. He smashed onto the floor, his hands rushing towards it to support his weight. They didn't make it and he slammed like a sack of potatoes onto the hard ice making much of the floor. His nose smashed first and with a loud, popping crunch broke.

"You might have overdid the magic, mother," Sarissa said with a mirthless chuckle as she reached and yanked Harry up. Her moves graceful, yet strong and making Harry wonder how powerful she truly was. "He still didn't get used to it."

"Was just surprised," Harry said, still dazed and a trickle of blood running down his face.

"Yes, sure," Sarissa said as she reached to his nose and with a confident move of her hand it popped into its proper place. "The magic infused her words and you didn't cope with it," Sarissa explained, wiping his blood and then licking her fingers clean.

"At least he didn't go deaf as many humans do when I speak," Mab dryly pointed out and then stood up before approaching them and placing one of her hands on Harry's shoulder. "You are a half-blood Sidhe and my son," she said as power flowed through her and into him. "From now on you can stay in my realm for however long you wish and my servants will fullfil your every wish and desire."

Harry's eyes widened and he looked into Mab's own eyes, a pair of slitted beautiful emeralds. "Your son?" he whispered, shaking from shock and surprise. "How?" he asked.

Mab smiled and ran one of her fingers through his hair, the black hair turning under her touch into snow white. "Because you were given to Lily and James so that my enemies didn't target you," she whispered. "I'm powerful and my wrath knows no limits, but even I have some weakness and my enemies would use it."

She shook her head and a thunder rumbled above as a literal wall of sleet and snow slammed into the windows of the chamber. At this Harry's eyes widened as he saw a scowl of anger and fury cross her features. Then it was gone and a perfect mask was back in place. Once again not a single emotion visible.

"Now you are old enough to train and master your powers sufficiently to fend for yourself," she said and moved away from him. Her dress changing in color, from pale green and blue to dark blue and black. She walked across the chamber and towards the table. "But first, Harry, Sarissa, join me," she said, taking one of the seats at the table that suddenly was covered in dishes.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – I have some backlog of chapters and feel generous so I'll be publishing more chapters than I would normally do. Besides, there is Christmas coming and time for some gifts. Maybe I'll also update my other stories.**

 **o-0-o**

The night fell quickly and Harry starred at the ceiling of his room. His eyes tracing patterns in the snow only he could see and follow. The meal and talk with Mab was exhausting and draining for him.

He let out a sigh and rolled on the bed.

Even if Mab seemed honest and wanting to help him, there was something about her that put him on the edge. It was hard to describe, but like he felt that she was more than she was willing to show him.

He bit his lip and then sat up in the darkness.

He tossed aside the covers and looked at his own body. The skin, paler than he remembered it shone with its own light and he could see all the welts, scratches and myriad of other injuries he had accrued disappear.

He traced his finger over the spot where basilisk sang its fang into his arm and gasped. The skin was smooth, not a single remain of a scar left behind. "How?"

He shook his head in amazement and then got out of bed, reached for a loose robe he spotted laying on a chair nearby. He wrapped himself in it, hiding his nudity and walked out of the chamber.

Finding Sarissa proved easier than he thought. She was there in the healer's quarters, her attention on a book about some herbs and plants. "Herbology?" he asked with some curiosity and she looked up with a smile.

"Not quite," she said and then tilted her head. "It's closer to morning than it's to dusk, what's the issue?"

"Can't sleep," Harry said and seeing her frown he added. "And the changes."

Sarissa pursed her lips, making Harry wonder if he did something wrong. "It's nothing wrong," she said after a moment and then looked into his eyes. "The fae blood in your veins was dormant. Think of it like it was forced to remain hidden and now when Mab claimed you as her son and when I started to heal you..."

"It became active and manifested," Harry finished making Sarissa smile.

"Pretty much," she said, making Harry frown in confusion. He could tell she was hiding something from him and was doing it quite well. "Your body was never allowed to fully grow, the Dursley's starved you and the magic I used reversed some changes. Now magic does the rest on its own."

Harry's lips quirked into a smile and he looked at her curiously. "And how does it connect with me not sleeping?"

"Magic is energy," Sarissa said and with ease summoned a ball of water. "The more active it is, the more awake you feel. Your body is overflowing with magic and that keeps you awake, well, until it is sucked in by your cells and stored away."

Harry groaned and slumped on a chair on the other side of her table. "Any potion or draught or anything to make me sleep?"

Sarissa gave him an angry look. "Weren't you taught that too many potions taken have a bad effect on your body?" Harry's sheepish smile made her shake head and sigh. "Yes, it is bad for your body. Very bad in the long run, so no, you won't get any potion. Go to your chamber and try to sleep."

o-0-o

Harry walked down the corridor, his steps lighter and more confident than the few days ago. A streak of white hair visible in his normally black hair. He stepped through the door of the chamber where he ate the meal with Mab and Sarissa.

The table was gone, instead Mab stood faced against one of the large windows. Sarissa to her side and another Sidhe woman or girl few steps away from them. The girl was lithe with ice blue eyes and pitch black hair. She seemed cute and innocent, yet Harry easily saw muscles under her taunt skin and clothes. Clothes that by all mortal were skimpy and revealing as she only had a shirt that barely covered her breasts and a skirt that only hid the bare minimum.

He felt himself avoid her gaze as blush blossomed on his cheeks, she screamed sexuality at him and seemed aware of her own attractiveness and beauty. He closed his eyes and forced himself to avert his gaze from her and towards Mab. "Mother," he said quietly and Mab turned her head to look at him.

"I see that you found the way on your own," Mab said and smirked. "Also I see that Aurora caught your attention."

"Aurora?" Harry asked, blush growing on his cheeks.

"His Majesty means me," the girl said and then bowed slightly, making her breasts jiggle and catch Harry's attention. "Aurora Flintheart, daughter of Duke of the Frozen Lake, Huntmistress of Winter."

Harry blushed and then forced himself to compose and kept his gaze away from her breasts. "Harry Potter," he said with a smile.

"What a humble person," Aurora said with a chuckle. "I half-expected him to use dozens of titles, Your Majesty."

"He is new to Winter," Sarissa said and walked to Harry. "Aurora is one of the most promising warriors of your age. I chose her so that she can show you around, teach how to defend yourself and how to fight." She then smiled mysteriously and leaned to his ear before whispering. "From what I heard, she's also quite skilled in the bed."

Harry sputtered and blushed, looking scandalously at her. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing sweet little brother," Sarissa said and smirked. "You'll see it in due time, sweet brother."

He looked at her and then at Aurora who was smiling and looking at him with amusement. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Aurora said as she gave him a look. "So, do you want to learn?"

Harry looked at her. Gulped, trying to hide his lack of words and after swallowing nodded. "Yes," he said.

Aurora smirked and nodded at him. "Follow me," she said. "Even if you have no experience and are a son of Mab, I won't be gentle."

Harry pouted and looked at her. "Why?" he asked, he half-expected it. Living with the Dursley's made him used to cruelties of the world and people being harsh. Yet at Hogwarts most of professors was kinder and less demanding.

"That's how I was taught." Aurora said with a wide smile, her teeth shining as she looked at him.

Harry shook his head, trying not to get attracted by her apparence and focused on a particularly interesting bit of the floor. "Who?"

"Leah," Aurora said with some fondness in her voice.

"She sounds crazy!" Harry yelled, looking at Aurora with some worry visible in his eyes. She seemed to be insane, yet there was something that was keeping his attention on her.

"Crazy runs in the family," Aurora said with a knowing smirk.

"I'd like to see that," Harry said, some challenge visible in his voice.

"Oh you will. Oh you will and you'll enjoy it," Aurora smirked, her fingers brushing against Harry's hip.

"What was that?" He blushed and gave her a furious look.

"Nothing. Now enough chit-chat," she said, breaking into a jog.

Harry smiled at her and then jogged after her. She ran quickly, yet he easily saw her limit herself to a speed he could keep up. He made a note to thank her later for it as for once someone kept an eye on his limits and adjusted to them.

"You are slow," Aurora shouted as she jumped down, her hair fanning out around her head. "Speed and agility is your main advantage in combat. For all our beauty and power, we lack the brute strength." She gracefully landed and got up before turning to look at him. "Come on, jump. It's not that far."

He approached the edge of the corridor and looked down. She was three, maybe four meters below him and smirking. "I'll break my legs," he shouted at her.

She snorted and gave him a pointed look. "You are a Sidhe, not a human anymore," she said and then added. "Come on, I'll catch you."

He backed away from the edge and then ran across it. At the last step propelling himself into the air. His legs threw him into the air. There he instinctively rolled and then landed on the ground in front of Aurora. He got up and dusted off his pants before looking at her with a grin. "How?"

"Magic," she said and smirked. "It let's you do awesome things. You just need to believe."

He shook his head. Excitement and joy still coursing through his body and jogged after her. "So what are we going to do now?"

"Go to the armory," she said and smiled faintly. "I'll show you what I use and guide you around. There is a lot of to choose from and some weapons are quite powerful."

Harry gave her a look and then shrugged. Few days ago he was just one of the many students of Hogwarts, now he was treated as if he was one of the most important people. He could see the looks from the guards, the servants. Heck, even Aurora seemed to respect him and show it to him. It was strange and at first he felt bad. But now, now he enjoyed this sudden change.

"Don't get all cocky," Aurora said as she slammed door open in his face.

"Ow!" Harry yelled as his face came in contact with the hard wood of the door. He pulled away from it and glared at her. "That hurt!"

"I told you," she said with a smirk. "Pain. Is. The. Best."

He paused for a moment and wiped blood from the cut lip. "I'll murder you," he murmured darkly. "I wish I had my wand with me."

Aurora's lips formed into a smirk and she looked at him. "Which one?"

"One that I use for magic."

"Boring." She fixed her hair after the jog and entered the armory. Her steps sure and confident as she walked between rows, upon rows of shelves and racks with weapons. "This is one of the armories, steel is a poison for us, so we use enchanted silver for blades. Same material as in the Sword of Gryffindor that you used." She reached for one of the knives and plucked it from its place before looking at Harry. "Take a look, pick what you want and meet me at the door once done."

o-0-o

Sarissa watched the door for few seconds before turning towards Mab. "He doesn't know into what he's getting in, does he?"

"No, he doesn't," Mab said and then a reached for a cup that stood nearby. "You are aware of course that your sister needs to be kept unaware of his presence."

"She would try to kill him," Sarissa said quietly. "The Mantle has an effect on her."

Mab nodded silently, her eyes narrowed as she regarded her daughter with analytical gaze. "Mantle has an effect, but that is one thing. Your sister isn't the most stable and can't see the obvious benefits from me acknowledging that I have a son."

"Another powerful pawn," Sarissa said, her eyes changing color to black. "One with your authority and orders, yet not connected directly to you. When they see a Knight or other Queen they wonder what do you want. While him..."

"Is a perfect pawn," Mab finished. "Quite similar to Dresden and Lea, both fiercely independent, powerful and disliking me enough to be regarded as those working on their own. If I even wanted, I could have form a Mantle for him, but as of now there is no need for it."

"Langtry wants him to stay at Hogwarts," Sarissa said and then closed her eyes for a second. "I don't understand why."

"Because he is a scheming politician and wants to have an easy shot," Mab said bluntly. "At Hogwarts killing him will be much easier than here in the land of Winter. Arctis Minor, Arctis Maior and Arctis Tor are fortresses nobody can enter unless I want them to. The Denarians tried and needed to back off."

"And the wizards aren't stupid enough to try to use the Accords to enter here and then kill him," Sarissa added and smiled. "Aurora and her older and much less annoying brother should keep troubles away from Harry."

"They don't need to," Mab said and Sarissa could see a flicker of something evil pass across her mother's features. "If the vampires or Summer try to send one of their usual wetwork agents I'll send my own champions. Even the Red King, for all his idiocy, isn't stupid enough to risk dragging me into his business."

"He is winning the war with the White Council," Sarissa pointed out quietly. "Actions of Summer were a nasty surprise for his Court, but didn't cause enough damage. Not nearly enough."

Mab nodded, her eyes flashing and changing color to reflect the weather and her mood. A thunder rumbled as a wave of snow came crashing. "I don't want any side to win," she said and turned to look at Sarissa. "Did the scouts report anything?"

"Nothing unusual," Sarissa said. "Everything along our borders looks the same way it looked."

"The Fomor weren't subtle," Mab said, sipping the wine from her cup. "They were like a sledgehammer and now with the Red Court and the White Council weakened, they should strike. Yet nothing happens."

"Why now, mother?"

"Because normally the Council and the four Courts would join up with us, Summer and other deities to squash them like a bug," Mab said in a whisper. "Now? The world is changing and the two of the forces we need are at each other's throats."

"Sooner or later they will end," Sarissa said and froze when Mab turned around and glared at her.

"Bled out and exhausted, with no manpower, no resources and no will to fight another lengthy war," Mab hissed and paused. "Go and fetch your sister, time for her to get useful."

o-0-o

Harry walked between the shelves. He felt here strangely comfortable, the tools of death and suffering were a thing that drew his attention and he couldn't divert his eyes from them. Gaze of his eyes slipping across the weapons laid on shelves and racks.

Bows, swords, axes, spears, maces, daggers and many more contraptions he couldn't name. All of them in perfect shape and ready to be used. Yet even if they were tools of war they looked beautiful, sculpted and carved, each of them a small masterpiece of art. There were also pieces of armor laid out, chainmails, plate armors, ones made from leather, scale of some animals and dozens of other materials.

He spent what felt for him like hours mindlessly wandering and looking at the tools of war and death before finally picking up a simple sword and a massive bow covered in floral patterns. With the bow slung over his shoulder, a quiver of arrows with pitch black fletching, on his back and a sword in hand he walked to Aurora.

"Good taste," she said approvingly looking at the weapons. "Longbow," she muttered. "Not my kind of a bow, but if you're strong enough. I don't want to be your target."

"Why?"

"I saw my older brother put an arrow through the hide of a troll," Aurora said and smirked. "Quite a big one too. Enough of training and experience and you can achieve the same."

Harry smiled at her in thanks.

"Don't smile, yet," she said and then took his sword and pulled out of the scabbard. "Good choice. Straight, sharp blade, enchanted to cut through armor." She slid it back and handed to him. "Be careful, it isn't imbued with the venom of basilisk as is the Sword of Gryffindor, but is sharp."

"I will be," Harry promised. "I was playing for two years a game where we flew above the ground and were forced to dodge flying balls."

"You need to explain it," Aurora said with a glean to her eyes and then smirked. "First, archery for you."

Harry nodded and walked after her out of the armory and onto the courtyard covered in a fine layer of snow. With more falling every second from the thick cover of clouds above.

"Mab is hiding this place from everybody," Aurora said and pointed at the clouds. "Only Queens can summon them. Anybody using scrying or other means of spying will see nothing."

"Why would she do it?" Harry frowned looking at the bow and at Aurora who reached into some chest standing nearby. "I thought my existence was known here."

"Not even all of your mother's servants are aware that you are her son," Aurora said and then tossed him a thick woolen cloak with a hood. "The magic keeps us warm, but the snow is still unpleasant."

He grabbed it and put on, smiling at her in thanks. "So, the bow," he said, holding up the weapon. "Can I shoot?"

He swore he could see a sadistic smirk pass across her features. "You can try," she said and moved away from him.

Harry pulled the arrow out of the quiver. Notched it and pulled the bowstring before aiming it at the target he saw at the other end of the courtyard. He fired and the released bowstring whipped across the exposed skin of his arm.

"Ow!" he yelped, dropping the bow onto the ground and rubbing the sore spot. A long, red lash across his whole arm. "That hurts!"

Aurora rolled her eyes and smiled before reaching into the chest, she rummaged in. "I told you," she said with a smirk. "I adore pain as a teacher, now catch."

She tossed a small bundle at him.

"What's that?" Harry asked as he caught it effortlessly and unrolled, revealing a length of reinforced, tough leather.

"Sleeve for the arm holding the bow," she explained and then he noticed she had a similar on her arm. "Bowstring, especially of the big beast like the bow you hold. It has a kick and you don't want that hitting your skin."

He glowered at her and then slid it on. He gave it a look and then once again took the bow. He aimed it at the target and fired quickly. He saw the arrows hit it, not in the middle, but hit nonetheless. He turned to look at Aurora and saw her whistle.

"You fire more accurately than I did when I started," she said with a smirk and then pulled out her own bow and fired three arrows at the target at the end of the courtyard, over two hundred meters away. "But you can't do this."

He looked at the target, then at the arrows, then at her. "How?"

"Training," she said with a smirk. "Practice enough and you can get onto the same level."

Harry shook his head and focused on putting arrows in the targets. Her showing off ruffling too many of his feathers for him to feel comfortably.

o-0-o

Mab regarded Maeve with a cool gaze, her daughter and Heir was a huge disappointment. Winter Lady was always a cruel and hungry monster, but most were more reasonable and logical than her spawn.

"Mother," Maeve said, her voice insulting and questioning Mab's authority. "Why did you summon me?"

Mab's eyes flashed storm grey and her clothes turned to black. Her gaze focused on Maeve. "Daughter," she said after few seconds. "You are banished to Arctis Minor and banned from even approaching Tor until midnight of the day of the equinox."

"Mother-" Maeve started.

"Silence!" Mab snapped in anger. "Your behavior is a liability to the Winter and its interests. There you can be actually of some use and further our goals." At this the younger Sidhe looked up. "Red Court is a danger and your task is to allow Summer to take actions against it. How? That's up to you."

"Can I use get the Winter Knight?" Maeve asked with a predatory smile. "He could be of some use for me."

A blizzard appeared inside of the room and tossed Maeve against the far wall. "Daughter," Mab murmured approaching her. "Winter Knight is a traitor and as a traitor he needs to die when I find a suitable candidate." She pulled out a dagger and placed it against Maeve's throat. "I don't need you, daughter. Do not test me or Sarissa will take the Mantle or even Lea. They both can and both would be superior to you."

"Of course, mother," Maeve said, swallowing slowly, a malign glean to her eyes. "I will carry out your orders."

Mab smiled and pulled the dagger back. "Be gone and don't come back until the equinox."

o-0-o

Harry fired the last arrow at the small target placed eighty meters away from him. Reached into the quiver and frowned when he found no arrow there. He then looked up and his gaze focused on the targets. "How did I do?" he asked with a grin as he turned to look at Aurora.

"Passable," she commented walking to the nearest target, a cluster of arrows close to the center. "Not bad, you could have done better."

Harry arched an eyebrow and looked at her. "Better? All of the arrows are almost in the middle."

"Well," she said and smirked impishly. "When a troll charges towards you. It matters if your arrow is in the eye or not in the eye." She stalked towards him and saw him pale a bit. "Did you see a troll?"

"Yes," Harry gulped. "Last year, Halloween, I and two of my friends were trapped in a toilet with a troll." He swallowed and then looked at her, there was some curiosity and keen interest in her eyes. "We used a bit of magic to levitate its club and have it smash against his skull."

Aurora chuckled and then smiled. "Ingenious," she murmured. "Trolls are dumb, such a move is a good idea. Especially when you have magic. Concussion works as well as does an arrow into the eye."

Harry smiled at the praise and gave her a look. "What do you want to do now?"

"Bashing you with a sword would be fun," Aurora said, her eyes shining, but then she shook her head. "But the archery probably tired you and another physical thing would kill you."

He nodded at her words and then frowned before his stomach grumbled in hunger. Making Aurora narrow her eyes. Her ears moving as she tried to find the source of the sound and then she laughed.

"Well, we can eat," she chuckled. "Or you will cause an avalanche by accident."

Harry laughed merrily and followed her into the dining hall of the fortress where she got them food and then they found a quiet table in the corner of it. It had a decent view of the courtyard and the mountains surrounding the fortress.

"I'm supposed to teach you about the Winter Court," she muttered, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup. "So that you don't like a fool and know whom to trust and whom to avoid." She sipped her drink and then looked at him. "The most important thing you ought to know. No Sidhe can give anything for free. There always is a bargain."

Harry frowned and then looked at her. "Mab, I mean, mother, had Sarissa nurse me to health for free," he said and slowly ate a fruit that looked and tasted similarly to an apple. "So, where is a bargain?"

Aurora grinned and snatched another fruit before bitting into it. "Favors," she said, licking her lips. "I know that you have no assets that I would want now, but you are a very good long-term investment. So for all the help I give you, I will ask for five favors. Favors I will be able to call whenever I want, for whatever I want and you will be unable to tell me no."

He finished the apple and slowly sipped his drink, the liquid warming him up, before looking at her. "Five favors seems like a lot," he said and saw a glean in her eyes. "I know that what you give me is worth a lot for me, but five favors is a lot."

She smiled and poured herself some strong coffee before sipping it and speaking. "Haggling is a sacred part of any bargain," she said as she looked at him. "All I can ask you is favors as you have no value for me."

Harry glared at her and huffed. "What?"

"Let's be honest Harry," she said. "I like you, but as of now you are a useless warrior and a sorcerer. With the only boons you have is your blood and position. Summing it up, you have no use now. So tell me, what can you offer me?"

"My charm?" he asked, chuckling. "But I see your point. I have no use now, so you invest in the future."

She gave him a smile and sipped more coffee. "Yes," she said. "So, what do you say about six? The amount of knowledge and help you'll get from me is hard to measure. And most likely I will save you life a time or two."

He mulled over her words and sipped slowly from his cup before reaching for one more apple. "I think it is too much," he finally said. "What about three?"

Aurora laughed and threw her head back. "That's ridiculous," she said. "That's fifty percent of the price and that's cheap."

He looked at her, his eyebrow arched. "What about four, my lady?"

Aurora hummed and nodded. "This would be fair, but with one more little fun bit. In say three weeks you'll start to share bed with me," she said with a grin. "How does that sound?"

Harry gave her a look and shrugged. "If you say so," he said. "It doesn't sound bad, four favors is more manageable than five. And sharing bed with you shouldn't be awful."

Aurora smirked and looked at the remains of the fruit. "No, it shouldn't be," she said and licked her lips. The movement attracting Harry's attention. "You seem unable to draw attention away from me."

Harry diverted his gaze and blushed furiously. "No, I don't gape at you."

She snorted and then banished emotions off her face. "One thing you ought to learn today, three Queens of the Winter Court."

"Three?" Harry asked. "I thought there was just one."

"Yes, three," Aurora said and pursed her lips for a second. "Mother, Queen and Lady. Mother is..., an ancient being nobody wants to irritate. Officially she has no power, but if she wishes to, she can get herself involved and the Queen and the Lady need to bow before her."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" Harry asked quietly. "Two people holding power can have different interests."

Aurora's eyes shone brightly and she nodded. "Yes," she said. "That would be true if not for the Mother involving herself when we are pressed against the wall. More often it is the Lady, Queen to be, that causes issues. She's the one that will replace current Queen and will wield her power. Maeve, current Lady, is dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because of the power and the effect they have on her," Aurora said and shrugged. "There is also envy, she despises Sarissa." Aurora smiled. "You, Sarissa and Maeve are related. But if Her Majesty can do anything, you won't meet that monster any time soon."

"I feel like I won't like her," Harry said glumly his attention focused on Aurora's chest.

She didn't say anything and simply sipped her drink. "As long as your mother, Her Majesty, tells her to behave, she will behave. We all are forced to obey Mab, she's the ruler and even her family needs to obey her. The oaths we made or were made by our magic don't allow us to openly act against her will."

"Don't let us act openly," Harry mused. "Curious phrasing, seems like there is a lot of leevay hidden in it. Fay are all about the loophole aren't they?

"Fact, Question or Statement?"

Harry tilted his head and ran his hand through his black hair. "I think a fact," he said with a grin.

'He's a fast learner...mighty fast," Aurora muttered. She smirked and nodded in thanks to a servant that brought them a tray full of food. "Yes, it is a lot of leevay," she said and thanked the servant. "But we can talk about that later, now eat."

o-0-o

Arthur Langtry was one of the oldest wizards alive, walking the Earth since the time of the eighteenth century. With his age came experience, power and knowledge and some would say wisdom. But at this notion Ebenezar McCoy snorted.

There was no wisdom in his enemy, rival, friend, ally and few more things. There was certainly knowledge and intelligence, but not wisdom.

"What do you want, McCoy?" Merlin asked without looking at him.

"Talk about the business under Hogwarts," Ebenezar said quietly and Langtry jerked, his self-control slipping for a second. "You did a mistake. Mab is too arrogant and prideful to listen to you."

"She needs to know that we won't budge on certain matters. Yes, she is a Queen of Fae, but her power is limited and she forgets herself."

"She had the right to show there," Ebenezar said, a hidden threat in his voice. "Two of the founders of Hogwarts were Knights. It is partially in the Nevernever and the forests around it are Fae land." He then snorted. "Do you suggest that you can ban her from entering her own domain?"

"No," Langtry said. The single word imbued with power and authority. "I just care for the White Council and its safety."

"Perhaps you do," Eb said and then walked out. "Or you are a traitor."

o-0-o

 **A/N:**

 **Reviews:**

doomqwer – I think this chapter answered some questions you have about the time. Fae are plotting... As they always do

ww1990ww – Do I want to confirm or say you're wrong? Noh, that would spoil too much fun for me. After all that's a pretty sweet bit of information.

As for the Dursley's and their house, let's say that Sidhe and especially Unseelie are vindictive little bastards.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – This was not supposed to be here, but decided to cause more chaos, confusion, pain and destruction. Harry's time will come soon, but plotting and scheming and being cruel is nice. Besides that, steamy and hot scenes can wait, while blood and brain matter all over the place not really.**

 **Read! Enjoy! Review!**

 **o-0-o**

The Courts of Fae were always competing and always trying to stay in balance. Even if the power of one was waning over the summer and second over the winter the balance was still maintained. Until now.

Mab claiming a son shifted the powers in favors of Winter and Unseelie, while weakening the Summer. It could not be accepted and needed to be repaired, so that the perfect equilibrium could be still maintained.

Titania's eyes burned hotly as she walked through the lands of Summer. Flowers and grass were sprouting from under her feet. Each step sending magic into the ground and making lesser fae inch away from their mistress. It was a gesture of respect, but also a sign of fear.

Fae of the Seelie were known for their passion and fiery emotions. When the Unseelie could spend hours, days or even years analyzing a problem and carefully choosing a tool to solve it. The Seelie would act fast and hope their solution would work. It even affected their Queens, beings that were the very embodiment of their traits, but were also supposed to be their leaders.

A smile appeared on Titania's face and her gaze became more predatory when she saw the Summer Knight approach her. He was her agent and wetwork agent, hunting down those mortals that were targets of her ire.

"Your Majesty," he said with a curtsy, his sword still in his hand. A thing that made Titania smile more widely. "You summoned me and I'm here."

Titania nodded and looked at him. "There is a task for you, My Knight."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Son of Mab," Titania said curtly and saw Fix's eyes widen. "You are to track him down and find as much about him as possible. Elaine Mallory will be my second agent. Do not fail me or you will feel my ire."

Fix paled briefly, but then nodded. "Elaine Mallory, Your Majesty? Wasn't she freed from her bonds of servitude?"

"She was," Titania said. "From the bonds to my daughter, not from me. She still owes me a single favor."

"Are we supposed to terminate him?" Fix asked quietly, looking at the nearby nobles.

"No, unless you are sure that he is affected by the madness of the Winter. If yes, show no mercy and kill him. To save him and us from the madness."

o-0-o

Lara Raith sighed happily and ran her hand down the side of her lover as he laid to her side. He was an amateur and new to the world of pleasure, but he had the enthusiasm and hunger not many had. The door to her bedroom opened and Lara looked towards it, her eyes narrowing. When she fed she was not to be disturbed. Yet someone was foolish enough.

"What?" she asked roughly and then touched the neck of her lover. "Sleep, love, I'll return to you in a second."

"My Lady, there are some news you should hear, immediately," the human said and Lara's eyes narrowed.

She moved off the bed, reached for and threw onto herself a thin, silky robe before moving towards one of her servants. "Explain!" she hissed, tying the robe in her waist and not caring about the way she looked.

"A sleeper agent returned," he explained and licked his lips, making Lara's eyes narrow. The mercenaries she hired were the best of the best and weren't disturbed by the strange activities of the White Court. "He was at the Hogwarts and has some news you need to hear immediately."

Lara's eyes shone dangerously and the man shuddered. "Is it important enough to disturb the time when I feed?" she hissed in anger. "I can feed on you and when I'm done you will be a drooling wreck of a human."

"I believe so," the mercenary said. "Your brother, told us to inform you immediately."

Lara sighed, but then nodded. "Lead me to them," she said.

The mercenary nodded and guided Lara through the maze of corridors of her own manor. She walked quickly, adrenaline burning through her veins as she wondered what was the reason for her brother of all people telling the mercenaries to disturb her.

The agent turned out to be a dark-skinned teen with a finely manicured nails, perfectly groomed hair and spotless clothes. A thing that made Lara smile, perhaps not all of the day was destroyed. Maybe he would pay her back for the ruined day.

"What is so important?" she asked roughly as she sprawled on the couch in front of him. "You are aware that when I feed I want to have peace."

"I know, My Lady," he said with a gulp and a smirk appeared on Lara's face when she saw him shift and try to hide a bulge in his pants. "But Queen Mab was at Hogwarts, a basilisk was slain and one student is missing."

Lara tensed and then looked at him. "Which student?" she hissed.

"Harry Potter, my lady," the agent said and Lara tilted his head. "I managed to overhear a talk between Mab and the Merlin and they mentioned that Mab and Harry Potter were related. Then the Wardens used some spell that muted the rest of the talk."

"Are you sure that it was Mab and not a different Unseelie?"

"The chill I felt was genuine and she came into the world in an explosion of aurora borealis. And the way the Merlin behaved suggests he was treating with someone or something much more powerful."

Lara nodded and hummed quietly. "Does anybody know that you work for me?"

"Only Greengrass," he said and paused briefly. "There is some agent of the Reds, but he was given a sleep potion a day before those events and I made sure to keep him off my tail."

"Good, really good," she said and smirked. "Undress and join me here."

"W-What?"

Lara smiled. "I need to feed and you clearly seem willing to give it to me."

He flushed, but then did as she told him and Lara smiled when she ran her hand across his belly and crotch. "That will do for me," she whispered and kissed him. "You are a faithful agent of the Raith family, Blaise. Keep it going and you will be rewarded."

o-0-o

Chichen Itza, an ancient fortress of the Maya, a massive nexus of the Ways and leylines was also one of the most important strongholds of the Red Court. The Red King was holding his courts there and the most important and powerful nobles had their estates nearby.

The Red King, Kukulkan, was ancient even by the supernatural standards. He was walking the Earth and feeding on humans since the dawn of times and the period when the humanity barely turned into agrarian society and first religions were born.

He chose not an imposing look for himself, being a small and short man. This was a disguise most of the supernatural beings saw through and those not capable of this could see the aura around him. There was shuffling and he smiled when he heard it.

A pair of the Jaguar Warriors, both of them half-vampires, brought between themselves a human. Kukulkan smiled at this and approached the human, she was a female and seemed not to show fear at her position, making him smile even more.

"Knife," he said and one of the guards of the guards handed him a short, obsidian blade.

In a single cut the King sliced open the clothes of the woman and then bit her just above the collarbone. The blood shot into his mouth and he lapped at it hungrily, quenching his thirst for the liquid.

He heard some noise and tensed when he felt magical energy nearby. He pulled away from the woman and turned to face the intruder. "What?" he asked.

His eyes narrowed when Duchess Ortega entered the room, she was one of his oldest lieutenants and was close to becoming a Lord of the Outer Night. She smiled and then a human male entered after her. "This one has information," she said, her hand placed on the shoulders of the boy, making him twitch in fear.

"My King, Mab has a son."

The news struck Kukulkan light a lightning. There was no rumor that she was pregnant, that she had a lover, anything. This just appeared and no agent of his closer to her knew anything. It either meant that this was an extremely lucky accident and she was sloppy.

A thing that didn't happen for past few millenia or there was more to it and someone arranged for this leak. He paused and narrowed his eyes. The White Council wouldn't be beyond that and they were known for such things in the past.

"Come back to me when you are sure this is genuine," Kukulkan snarled. "Be gone, now."

o-0-o

Sarissa smiled as she watched the Hogwarts, the amount of spies in the student body was an astounding one. The ones belonging to the Winter were known to her, just a pair of them, but one was a Prefect and second a girlfriend of a Quidditch captain.

They were both also Changelings, a very useful thing for the Winter, but now they were most useful as simple humans. This made Sarissa smile, she once was a human, long time ago, and now was a Sidhe of the highest importance to the Winter Court.

"Those two are sloppy," Obsydian Flintheart commented as he indicated two older teens. "I would bet half of the estate of my dear daddy that they're vamps."

"Red Court vampires," Sarissa mused and then looked at Syd. "Do we have any informations about any humans they use as spies?"

"There are two. One in the same room as Harry for most of the time."

Sarissa hissed in anger and the mirror they used crackled. "Kukulkan knows."

"He would have known, sooner or later," Mab said as she appeared in the room. "The question is, will he do something?"

"Highly unlikely," Syd said and they looked at him. "He knows he can't afford Winter attacking him. Even on our own we can squash him like an insolent bug."

"Moving on, White Court does its usual plot and scheme and stay silent until ready," Sarissa said and then frowned before smiling. "Red Court agents got a poison from the Whites."

"That's peculiar," Mab said "I'll leave you to it, analyze it and eliminate those you think are threats."

"That's a strange behavior from her," Syd said and rolled his shoulders forward. "But I can understand why does she care so much about her son."

"Yes," Sarissa said thoughtfully and gave him a look. "You are aware how much power will he have once he comes of age and the powers fully develop?"

"A lot," Syd said and then grinned leaning over the notes he made as his hand moved through his silver hair. "The question is, how did they all learn of him. Her Majesty wasn't seen pregnant or with a lover, not for the last few decades. After birth he was ditched at a carefully chosen family with no fae blood in their veins and no ties to the court."

"And he was born here, in Arctis Tor," Sarissa said and closed her eyes. "Who would know of his birth? Me, Maeve, Mother, Lea, Grimalkin, Cat Sith and that's the list."

"Grimalkin and Cat Sith are too old and too viciously cruel to do such a thing," Syd said and smiled. "They would reveal his presence to our enemies once they knew such a move would be a bad one for those trying to kill him."

"Mother is the Crone," Sarissa said and she shuddered as she spoke that word. "She rarely leaves her hut and kills most of her guests. In the last century she had only three. Me, Her Majesty and Dresden. Dresden was too busy saving the world, I'm sitting here and didn't leave Winter much and Her Majesty is not known for stabbing in the back."

"Which leaves Lea and Maeve."

As Syd said those words over them fell silence as both of them tried to understand that someone so close to the court and someone so trusted could have been a traitor. There were always doubts about Maeve and recently about Lea, but they were all about secondary matters.

Not about plotting to kill a child of Mab, an extremely risky thing at the best of times. And now with so many plots in the air, lethal. Mab was famous for her cold logic, but she could also be a vicious and cruel being that didn't have any qualms about flooding whole town to achieve her goals. The plots pushed her to her very limits and the ones found plotting would have a grisly death.

Sarissa scribbled down those words on a piece of paper and then looked at Syd. "Don't talk about it, forget the topic. Watch my brother and protect him."

Syd nodded and as he was about to leave the room, he turned and looked into Sarissa's eyes. "What about Harry's father?"

Sarissa's eyes narrowed into slits and she let out a low hiss. "What do you imply?"

"That perhaps it was him who spilled the secrets. He isn't known for being the most honest being and his morals are questionable."

Sarissa hummed and tilted her head curiously. "Why did you think of him?"

"Because he isn't the most obvious one," Syd said with a shrug. "We looked at the leaks at this court, court of his father is perhaps even more dangerous and full of scheming."

o-0-o

The conflicts between the great of the Nevernever rarely escalated into full scale violence and wars, most of them in fact happened unseen by the lesser forces. Their main theater the palaces of monarchs and oft their bedchambers. However when it achieved the boiling point it was almost impossible to miss with the sheer fabric of the realm being bent by the whims and minds of the great powers.

Powers of such scope, such age and such might that most was revered by the humanity as gods or demons. Their hosts were innumerable and their power so great that nothing was beyond their reach. The conflicts between them were brutal, extended and costly for all. Even if some weren't directly affected, they were affected by the upheaval and chaos brought by the conflict.

Atalanta stopped her stead with her legs on a small hill close to the border of the Winter. Beyond were the estates of the various Wyldfae that weren't officially affiliated with Mab's court, but listened to her more than they did to Titania.

The strange, ethereal light of the Nevernever was subdued and the shadows covered much ground bathing it all in darkness. Aurora's eyes flickered as a ball of ice started to form in her stomach. It was all too perfect, all too normal.

The border patrol was a routine duty. Nobody attacked the realm of the Seelie or the Unseelie. Nobody was insane enough to risk awakening the wrath of the fae. They even avoided the lands the closest to them.

"That's strange," Aurora muttered and thrust her hand forward, second clenching on the hilt of her dagger.

A gust of wind came from behind them and the darkness buckled. As if washed aside by an angry god, a thing that perhaps was true, Aurora smiled. The spell she used was one known to the hunters and assassins that dealt with the beings that used veils.

For a moment just the mist was pushed, but then a pack of twenty half-vampires and a single count was revealed.

A low hiss escaped Aurora's lips and without thinking reached for her bow. She fired at the nearest half-vampire and it dropped dead, the arrow lodged between his eyes.

"Raise the alarm," Aurora yelled looking at the Sidhe with a horn and then nudged her horse and rode down the hill. "We will take care of this pack."

o-0-o

Sarissa looked up as she heard the sound of the horn. Only several patrols had them available and all of them were tasked with border patrol. The intruders were rare and those that were smart enough to know how to get past the magic protecting the realm had more than enough intelligence to avoid such situations.

Yet someone apparently decided to test the Winter and sent someone or something. Frowning Sarissa walked out of her chamber and into the throne room. Her mother was already there, score of Sidhe around her, all of them dressed in armors and ready for war.

"The Red Court attacked," Mab said, her grip on her power slipping as her fury grew. A faint nimbus of power formed around her form and was rapidly growing both in color and size. "They sent a group of their Jaguar Knights and a Count."

"The order came from the King himself or one of his lieutenants," Sarissa said with a frown. "Their spies know more than we thought they know."

"That's worrying, my daughter," Mab said and then looked around. "Gather whatever armsmen you can and ride out. Slay the vermit and make sure none is allowed to survive."

o-0-o

Lara Raith shook her head with disgust at the report of a small group of vampires of the Red Court disappearing into the land of the Fae. They were either really stupid or really, really brave. She smiled then and looked at her brother, Thomas. "I think that we can strike at them, here, in Chicago."

"What do you have in mind?"

Lara smirked and picked up an envelope from her desk. "This," she said and opened it. "The network of bars, pubs and brothels they run in most of the USA, headquarters the for majority of it is here. It was run by the Count that disappeared in the Nevernever."

"The Unseelie will kill them," Thomas said and Lara only nodded. "You want to step in when the Reds are figuring the stuff out and grab what we can and dig in before they notice us."

"Marcone is also making his moves. The War is draining the Reds of their assets and even if they are winning..."

"Their lines are stretched and the more they fight the harder it is for them not to be eaten by us," Thomas finished and winced. "And now the fae will join the meal."

"I don't think Mab wants to make her final moves now nor soon," Lara said and smiled at her brother's confusion. "She has a longer term plan and wants it to happen with as little interruptions as possible. I don't think she wants to destroy the Reds, not any time soon at least."

"The ways of the fae are convoluted and mysterious."

Lara smiled and shooed her brother out of her room. She needed the time to think and try to understand how did this whole mess happened. The Red Court was smarter, much smarter than just casually tossing away their assets.

This attack on the Unseelie was a suicide, they threw away a lot of their resources for little to no gain and the wrath of Winter. Just what could have been a prize so big one was risking Mab throwing her support behind the White Council or just striking on their own.

This was just not adding up and only a lunatic could have thought of such a move. Especially now, Lara realized with some grim satisfaction. The initial stalemate was over and the Council was grinding forth, slowly, but it was achieving actual progress. Not to mention the Summer striking more openly.

o-0-o

Aurora guided her horse and smiled when it's hooves struck the vampire in front of her. The fragile bone and brain matter exploding as the gleaming hooves and horseshoes smashed into it. The force of the blow sending the headless corpse backwards.

Not wasting a moment she drew her bow and fired at the vampire trying to grasp at her mount. The arrow hit him in the neck and he dropped back. Before he even slipped of the horse Aurora reached for her dagger and stopped with it a strike from another vampire.

"How did they manage to surprise us?" she asked angrily, the blade flashing in her hand and severing the limb from the torso. "The warding and spells should have warned us."

She was not allowed to finish her thought as a storm descended from nowhere. The snow and the ice everywhere. It's shards cutting into the vampires and ripping them into shreds while avoiding the Unseelie. She looked around and saw no dead unseelie, but a lot of the half-vampire corpses.

The moment the furious winds were gone and the ice no longer came Aurora was able to see who was the one behind the storm. When she saw Sarissa ride towards them, behind her several scores of the Sidhe nobility Aurora smiled in relief.

"Milady," she said with a bow of her head. "Thank you for rushing here."

Sarissa curtly nodded before jumping off her horse and walking towards them. "How did it happen?"

Aurora explained the whole situation and then Sarissa's brows furrowed as she crossed the border of Winter and entered the land of the Wyldfae. Then she swore so fouly that Aurora's eyes widened. "Milady?"

"Duchess Arianne Ortega herself," Sarissa said with a furious expression. "She was the one that cast the magic and the Count you killed was a vassal of her."

"Ortega?"

"Lieutant of the Red King, his daughter, if we can call their relationship that of a father and daughter," Sarissa said and Aurora nodded with a gulp, her eyes scanning the countryside. "She's not here. But she was the one that broke the wards we use."

"So the Red King is behind it."

Sarissa shook her head and looked at the corpses strewn across the ground. "Twenty half-vampires and a single vampire? That's not his style. That's enough to butcher our border patrol from ambush, but not enough to overwhelm our defenses."

Aurora's expression was subdued as she nodded and started to tear out the arrows out of the corpses. She was no stranger to war, but that ambush was close and she didn't want to know what would have happened if she didn't spot it.

"Yes, you were quite lucky," Sarissa said with a thin, sullen smile. "But it is also a show of how much your magic grew since you started to be my handmaid."

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N:**

 **Handmaid – I'll be using that in more of the handmaids of the Everqueen from Warhammer FB than the normal meaning of the word. Like, yes, they will be accompanying their mistress inside of the castle, they'll be much more war focused.**

 **Reviews:**

 _doomqwer –_ don't insult the nice vampires, as for the Reds. Someone was a bit too impulsive and their life expectancy dropped a bit...

 _ww1990ww –_ he wasn't really that blatant, he is the Blackstaff and the Merlin needs to be very careful with him. Can the Merlin defeat the Blackstaff? Yes! Can he win and don't get killed by the death curse? No way in hell or heaven.

 _Separ_ – did Sarissa tell the truth that Aurora was asked to help him? Hint, she has a comfy position of her handmaid, while her brother is in the inner circle of Sarissa's Sidhe nobles. Fae can't lie, but they don't need to tell the truth either...

 _aidansidhe_ – yes, there are some plans for the two. Ron, too, but more like Harry's limit of tolerance for idiocy will be reached.

 _Azrael-Von-Gruber_ – I read the whole chapter I last published and see no mention of fae torturing them. Granted, Aurora is a bit sadistic and that will rub onto Harry...


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N – Another chapter, actually it was supposed to be published few days ago, but my ideas changed and one scene was removed. It will appear later on, but not now. Some things need to develop and be given time to grow. As always read, enjoy and review.**

 **o-0-o**

Elaine Mallory stepped out of the Nevernever on a hill overlooking a castle in Scotland and then glanced at Fix who appeared out of the portal seconds later. "It looks beautiful, doesn't it?"

Her gaze focused on the castle built with the aid of magic as old as the bones of the Earth, its spires graceful and tall, archers far too thin for the simple stone and the enchantements protecting it too powerful. She saw fortresses of the Sidhe in the Nevernever and many had far fewer defenses than this.

"Mab was here," Fix said, hefting his sword onto the shoulder. "Whatever she did, I can still sense it."

"She's hard not to spot," Elaine said and breathed hair out of her eyes. "Aye, she was here and since she was here scrying to spy on Arctis Tor is a failure."

"How bad was it when you tried it?"

"I saw nothing," Elaine said as she carefully moved down the slope. "Just a mass of thick, black, churning clouds."

Fix nodded and followed her. The slope was covered in thick bushes and tall grass, full of treacherous pits, thorns and roots.

A subdued shout got out of Elaine's mouth as she lost her footing and started to slide. Her hand shot out and she barely managed to grasp on some root before she fell the several dozen meters to the bottom of the valley.

"You should be careful," Fix said, helping her up. "There might be something more than this."

"I know," Elaine said as she looked at her clothes with a bit of disgust. The stains of dirt and grass covered her pants and shirt. "That won't do for any meeting," she said and then the air around her shifted and wavered.

o-0-o

Three weeks passed and during that time Harry's time was wholly spent on learning how to use a bow and a sword, and basics of Sidhe politics. Aurora kept pushing him to his limits and trying to force him past them. A thing that at first resulted in his protests, but now he just grunted in exertion as he brought up his shield and deflected a strike.

"You are getting better," she said and then smirked as a dagger flew from her hand. "But not good enough."

Harry's eyes widened and he jumped to the side. The dulled blade smashing into his side and getting a cry of pain. "How?" he groaned, his arm dropping and rubbing pained ribs.

Aurora smirked and let out three, quick, shrill whistles.

Harry frowned, looked at her and then his sixts sense screamed at him. In panic he dropped to the ground, his shield moving up and placing itself on the path of a massive sword. Metal clashed against metal and a pained gasp left Harry's throat. Whoever it was, they were strong.

Coiling like a viper, Harry forced the sword to move and leaped back to his feet. Only to find himself faced by a hulking man in a chainmail and with a greatsword in his hand. His head was hidden by a mask and a helmet, yet Harry could tell he was grinning.

"He's better than you said, sister," he said and Harry turned to look at Aurora.

"My older brother," she explained. "Obsydian, tho we all call him, Syd, Flintheart, he is… not the most diplomatic minded of my siblings." She smiled, her expression predatory and dangerous. "He has some uses, which mainly involve preventing stupidity from brasher nobles."

"It isn't my fault they tried to jump into bed with my little sister," Syd said, pulling the helmet off his head and revealing a handsome face with golden eyes and silver hair. "I gave them a fair warning before challenging." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "I didn't kill any, yet, few ended short their hands or the bits hanging between their legs."

"Killing them would be troublesome," Aurora commented. "Weregild can be expensive to pay." She glanced at Harry. "I didn't mention it to you, but when you kill someone in a duel you might be forced to pay their family their weight in gold or silver. Depending on the rank. While maiming is fine and dandy for as long as you don't maim them too severely."

"And killing is boring," Syd added, resting his hands on the hilt of his sword. "I can't toy with them when they're dead. While them alive gives me so much more fun."

Aurora grinned and braided her hair before looking at them. "Syd, move away and get shield in front of you. Harry, watch."

"What do you plan?" Harry asked as he picked up his sword and slid it into a scabbard. He then glanced at Syd. "Why do you back away?"

"You'll see," Syd said and a shimmer of energy appeared in front of him. "A small piece of advice, don't stand in front of her."

Harry looked at Aurora who just smirked and walked towards several dummies filled with straw, hay and small twigs. "Watch," she said.

Harry nodded and focused his eyes on her. A flicker of energy appeared in front of her and then a howling gust of wind came. Razord sharp pieces of ice, snow and whatever else was nearby picked up and hurled towards the dummies. They smashed into the dummies. Straw flew out as ice slashed and pieces of frozen snow punched through. Harry's eyes widened and quickly looked like a pair of large saucers. He blinked and once again looked towards the dummies. Or rather what was left of them.

Shattered pieces of wood, scattered straw and hay, ice and chunks of snow littered the ground. Some tossed away dozens of feet. And some blasted away and impossible to spot. Buried under a feet or more of snow and ice.

"What was that?" Harry asked as wind stopped howling.

"One of the most useful spells," Syd explained. "And Aurora's favorite. Summons a cone of angry and cold winds that massacre anything on their path." He grimaced. "Getting killed by it is better fate out of the two."

"What's the other?" Harry asked, his eyes widened and his body shaking in fear and shock. He saw powerful magic at Hogwarts, but never so primal, simple and destructive.

"Slow death as you bleed out and freeze to death," Aurora said and looked at Harry. "It is a high time for you to start magic training and this spell is relative easy to learn."

Syd's eyebrow twitched and Aurora chuckled. "She means that if you have a lot of magical muscles it is easy," he said and gave her a dirty look. "Not everybody, sister, has as much energy as you have."

Aurora didn't comment it and instead quickly explained mechanics behind it to Harry who nodded in understanding and then walked away from them. He called forth his magic, a thing that came with an incredible ease and shaped it the way she told him to.

First, nothing happened, then winds howled and came. He was hurled backwards and smashed against a nearby building. All he felt was pain, slowly spreading coldness across his body as his dazed mind tried to wrap itself around what happened.

"Lack of control," Aurora commented, coming to him and hauling him to his feet. "Not bad for a newbie. You have power and imagination, just lack control."

Harry gave her a dirty look and cleaned his pants from snow and ice. "It hurt."

"You slammed into a wall," she said with a roll of eyes. "Were I supposed to call snow to cushion your fall?"

"N…," he started. "Yes," he said and then groaned. "I'm aching and in pain."

Aurora smiled and muttered something under her breath before running hand along Harry's back. "This will help."

A short gasp escaped Harry's lips and then he looked at her. "What was that?" he asked as the pain faded away replaced by pleasant warmth.

"Healing spells," she said with a grin and punched him playfully. "They won't fix damage to organs, but can deal with pain."

Harry smiled in thanks and picked up his scattered gear. He winced when some of his muscles ached, but then the pain went away and he collected his gear. With all of it in hand he looked at her. "Can we do something lazy now?" he asked and flicked a look at the sky. "The clouds are moving away."

Aurora frowned and then looked at him before looking at the sky. "That is worrying," she said and pursed her lips. "Someone is tinkering with Mab's magic."

Harry glanced at Aurora and could feel a mix of emotions. Fear, uncertainty, surprise and shock pass across her features. He shook his head and closed his eyes as some doubts started to appear in his mind. He pushed them away and looked at her, his hand landing on her arm. "What does it mean?"

"That the clouds that hid your presence for past three weeks are going away," she explained and bit her lip. "I don't want risk you getting revealed. Beings of the power sufficient to do this usually don't have good intentions."

"The walls of the castle can keep curious eyes away," Syd pointed out and then shot Aurora a pointed look. "Sister, go with him to his chambers. I'll go and speak with Lady Sarissa. She needs to be notified immediately."

Harry looked at them. He was scared by their initial reaction, but now it went away. The normal confidence shining from Aurora and the one he saw in her brother pushed his worries aside and let him clear his mind.

He placed his hand on Aurora's arm and then indicated the door. "Let's go," he said softly.

She nodded and followed him in. He slammed the door shut and in the faint light of the lamp looked at her. Her features were wracked by worry and shock, even if she posed as confident, she was scared.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice gentle and caring.

"You don't understand," she whispered. "Those clouds stay there as long as a Queen wishes for them to be. The beings that can scatter them." Aurora shuddered. "You don't want to see them, never. They're monsters and creatures that want Winter destroyed or weakened."

"I would be a target for them," Harry said as he wrapped himself in his cloak. "And they would use it to hurt mother."

Aurora nodded and then turned. Her fingers tracing the surface. He was about to ask, but she put her finger against her mouth and he nodded. She then pressed the wall and it slid back. A gaping mouth of a tunnel revealed. "Take the lamp," she said. "Follow me."

Harry grabbed the lamp. A tiny magical fire in the middle of a glass ball flickering and providing light. With it held in front of him, he entered into the tunnel and then the door slid back into its proper place.

The darkness swallowed them and only the lamp gave some light. "Please, tell me," Harry said as he followed Aurora. "That this is just one of the dozens of secret passages."

"You mean, one of hundreds," Aurora said with a grin. "There are more passages, chambers and rooms hidden than those everybody knows about. We love scheming and plotting."

"And also love being unseen," Harry said as he smiled. "I love this castle. Hogwarts is similarly filled with stuff students are not supposed to know and see." He snorted loudly. "Most is easy to find and navigate."

Aurora nodded and then they moved forward in comfortable silence. The sound of their steps muffled by the layer of snow laying on the ground. Harry's eyes swept around curiously, trying to memorize the way they moved making Aurora laugh.

"What?!"

"Those corridors shift and change at random," she said and then she turned to face him before slamming her fist into a wall behind him. "And can change when we want to."

At those words a low rumbling sound exploded behind them. Harry turned and saw a wave of snow and ice move, swallowing everything on its path and then stopping three feet away from them. He blinked tears and snow out of his eyes and then grinned. "I love it!"

Aurora smirked and then opened a door that appeared out of nowhere. "Here we are," she said, kicking them open. "As close to your chambers as we can get."

"Thank you, milady," Harry muttered as he stepped out after her and looked around.

They emerged in a large, vaulted chamber based on the shape of the octagon with windows placed in each wall and a mosaic made out of crystals and gems covering the floor. He stood there for a second, trying to feel the ebb and flow of magic in the structure of the fortress. Then he nodded to himself and walked towards the rooms he occupied.

"You managed to detect the magic," Aurora commented with a smirk. "You are learning, good."

"It's hard not to when everything around you is magic."

She hummed quietly, but then nodded and followed him.

o-0-o

Elaine kneeled in the vegetation close to Hogwarts and looked at it. Her senses focused on the Nevernever and things she didn't see. "Whatever is the magic here, it is old. I can sense Mab, but the closer I get to the castle the harder she's to find."

"There is more to this place than I thought," Fix murmured and Elaine looked at him. "The Mantles were involved in the crafting of magic here."

"Mantles?" Elaine frowned. "Like that of the Knight?"

"Yes," he said and as he closed his eyes Elaine could see him reach for magic. "But here is magic of Winter and of Summer and even of the Wyldfae, powerful Wyldfae."

Elaine pursed her lips and reached for some grass, crumbling it between her fingers she thought and then sighed. "I think chasing this trail is useless, the magic of whatever the castle is will block any tracking spells I have."

"What about asking Dresden for help?"

Elaine shook her head. "He would know how to track Mab down, but I think she bought him. No, he is not an option. Not a good one."

"What option do we have?" Fix asked and Elaine regarded him carefully. "You ought to have an idea."

"I…," she said and swallowed quickly. "Don't have one that would work." She crumbled between her fingers a single blade of grass and then stood up. "We will need to look in the Nevernever and find something that could give me an anchor for a spell."

o-0-o

"You don't need to tell me about the clouds, Syd," Sarissa said as she looked at Obsydian. "I know about them and I think that I also know who does this magic to dispel them."

"Who, m'lady?" Syd asked as he shifted his weight from one leg to another and forced his muscles to relax.

"My stupid sister," Sarissa said with a sigh. "Maeve is banished from Tor until next equinox. She and Harry need to stay away from each other or she will kill or torture him unless he is strong enough to make her back off. She was always a loose and insane cannon, but now it just got worse."

"And the bitch, pardon," Syd said and Sarissa waved her hand in dismissal. "Is trying to see what is happening in Tor that she is forced to stay away from it."

"Precisely," Sarissa said, her eyes two balls of ice. "I want you to accompany Harry wherever he goes. Maeve will next try to use champions, assassins and spies to get an idea what's going on here. Her Majesty probably didn't see this possibility and didn't limit her indirect means of wrecking havoc."

"It will be fun," Syd said, sadistic glean to his eyes and his smile predatory. "Not many nobles give me an opportunity to stretch my muscles, nor actually fight them."

Sarissa nodded and smiled. "They are smart in that regard," she said and paused before approaching Syd and looking into his eyes. "What will your father do? He was always trying to suck up to Maeve. For all her faults and sadistic tendencies, she's still Winter Lady."

"It is hard to say," Syd said and frowned. "I think he is aware of the fact that Aurora was tasked with training Harry. But he doesn't know whom exactly is she training, nor their actual standing with the court." Syd then shrugged. "We didn't talk much recently as he knows to whom my loyalty belongs."

Sarissa nodded and then turned to look at the sky that was darkening. A blizzard was moving from a nearby mountain range. The clouds were heavy with snow and Sarissa smiled thinly as she saw it. Her mother decided to show Maeve what a true Queen of Winter was able to do. Lightning jumped between the clouds and a thunder rumbled shaking the fortress.

"I never saw such a storm," Syd murmured and Sarissa looked at him.

"Her Majesty rarely shows her powers in such a way," she said. "Mainly because her sister will then get antsy and probe our borders. But for dealing with an uppity and stupid thing called my sister, it is a good thing."

o-0-o

Harry sat on his bed and frowned. Finally he was able to think about the events of the past few weeks. The speed of events was too fast and usually he was too tired in the evening to actually pause and think. Most of the time he crawled into his bed and just laid there. Muscles of his back, legs and hands screaming at him in pain.

He sighed and rubbed his wrist. Syd was strong and that strike hurt, badly. Now the pain was just a phantom, but Harry still felt it.

"Let me do it," Aurora whispered as she sat next to him. Her almost naked form getting his attention. She grasped his wrist and he felt cool magic pour in as pain disappeared. "I need to one day show you healing magic."

"Healing me gets troublesome?" Harry asked with a small smile.

Aurora chuckled and looked at him. "No, Har," she murmured as she shifted on the bed. "It has some many uses when in bed."

He gasped and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

She laughed and placed her hand on his back. "Did you forget about your debt?" she asked. "That in three weeks we would sleep in one bed," she asked as her eyes glittered.

Harry felt a wave of heat hit him as his cheeks flushed. The closeness, the physical contact and being with Aurora so close, so intoxicating for his mind. "I didn't," he whispered and looked into her eyes. "Just you and I."

"You and I?" Aurora asked as she moved closer to him. Her heart racing and her cheeks a bit flushed. "I don't see any issues."

"Just in the material world, guy and girl, together when they're not dating isn't seen the best," Harry said as he forced some sort of self-control.

Aurora's lips moved into a smirk and she looked at him. "We can date," she said and grinned. "I even wouldn't mind it."

Harry smiled. "I want it, Aurora."

She smiled and pushed him onto the bed. She moved onto him and looked at him. "You like it," she murmured, wiggling on him. Her hips pressing against his and forcing a soft moan out of his mouth. She then reached and kissed him.

Harry wanted to say something when she kissed him and a muffled sound left his mouth. His eyes glazed over and his hand raced across her back, sliding over her flesh and clothes as finally his urges and lust.

"You are mine, love," Aurora whispered into his ear as she ended the kiss. She shifted on him and let out a happy purr. "I can feel that you want me."

Harry wiggled and looked at her, blush on his face. "I… don't… want… you," he managed to say, his chest moving heavily as he panted. "I just like you."

Aurora smirked and rolled away from him. "Do you?" she asked as she slipped out of his shirt and her breasts freed themselves. "What do you think?"

Harry didn't say anything and yawned instead as he reached for a blanket. "Sleep, love?" he asked.

Aurora gave him a look and smirked before slipping under the same blanket and kissing him. "Yes," she murmured and laid her head on his chest. "No need to hurry, we have the whole eternity for ourselves."

o-0-o

The office of the Headmaster of Hogwarts was a circular chamber at the top of one of the massive towers of the castle. It was filled with artifacts, books, trinkets and other objects the Headmaster found particularly interesting or important.

The current Headmaster an old and powerful wizard named Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore sat behind his desk. It's surface was covered in books about beings most of the wizards of his community considered myths and legends. Things that were created by the humanity to explain why the thunder rumbled when the storm was raging. Why there was a famine or abundance of food.

He shook his head sadly, the gesture simple, yet dignified, as he perused text of a tome about the Nevernever and the Summer and Winter Court. The wizardkind was ignorant and no sooner than six hours ago he was forced to tell Minister of Magic that Harry Potter was beyond their power. For now, at least.

"They think that the few hundred aurors we have would be able to pose a danger to a Queen of Winter," he said and then his quill scribbled on the parchment as he wrote down an important passage. "As if their magic could do more than amuse her."

He heard knocking on the door and looked towards the weathered surface of the oak doors that saw plenty of historical events happen in this chamber. His beautiful, gold and red, phoenix Fawkes chirped quietly. The sound making Dumbledore smile and forget about the worries of the day.

"Come in!" he called and the door opened, seemingly on its own.

A tall, beautiful, yet ancient looking woman in a black robe with dark, piercing eyes and white hair, held together by jade combs that were much more than simple objects. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed marginally. They narrowed even more when he noticed a pair of jade bracelets on her wrists.

He quickly schooled his features, hiding any of his emotions behind an expressionless mask and then smiled. "How can I help you, Ancient Mai?"

"Headmaster," she said with a gentle bow of her head. "I'm here on the behalf of the Senior Council."

Dumbledore expected as much, Mab's presence in the Chamber wasn't missed by him and he wondered when the Council would send someone to talk with him. Yet he didn't expect her to be sent. Mai was more of a liaison with other organizations and groups, not with different groups of practitioners.

"Of course," he said and effortlessly conjured a plush chair. "Please, sit down, Ancient, and let's discuss it like two civilized and intelligent beings."

He could see a faint smile flicker across her features. Yet the readiness for combat and the tensions visible in her body didn't go away. She nodded towards him and moved to the chair. "The Council wants to know what do you plan to do about the incident?" she asked, sitting down and schooling her features.

"I can do precious little," he said and smiled. "My knowledge of the Nevernever and the Courts is lacking, but I'm aware that I can achieve nothing by brute force." He paused and shook his head in pity for the stupidity of his fellow wizards. "No matter what certain elements think, I won't allow any attack on Mab's strongholds and will simply wait for her moves."

Mai smiled thinly and nodded in agreement. "This is a reasonable course of action," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Winter Court sent an emissary to the Council and your student will come back once ready. The moment chosen by Mab and nobody else."

A flash of irritation passed across Dumbledore's features, but he suppressed it almost immediately. "She seems very protective," he said and closed his eyes. "From what I read, Winter wasn't so protective."

"No, normally not," Mai said with a nod. "But you forget about second side of the coin. Winter always calculate gains. This time keeping him there and protecting is worth more."

He nodded and rung a little, silver bell. A house elf appeared, a tray of cookies and cups of tea in its hands. Dumbledore indicated the desk and after placing the tray, the elf was gone.

With a smile Dumbledore took his cup and looked at his guest. "We can discuss it in detail, Ancient," he murmured.

o-0-o

A thunder rumbled and then two waves of creatures crashed. Sidhe nobles on their finest steads, dressed in the best armor and armed with deadly spears and swords facing crude and ugly monsters of the Red Court.

Syd hacked off a limb of a particularly large ghoul and then brought his shield up. An arrow smashed into it and then slid off. With a flick of his wrist he beheaded the beast closest to him and then looked around.

This intrusion was more daring and larger. But the sentries were more numerous and more powerful. All of the warriors took part in hundreds of battles in their past and knew how to deal with those things.

"Take our wounded and return to Tor," Syd said, pulling the helmet off his head and letting his hair loose. "The Red King should have gotten the message."

He looked at the ripped apart monsters that laid scattered on the snow and then shook his head. There was no place for the ugly creatures of the vampires in the lands of Winter. Harry really rattled the Red Court, such probes normally would make Mab muster her armies, maybe even weaken the sentries at the Gates and march against whoever dared to challenge her.

Yet now there was no action from Winter, only wait and react to attacks. A thing that Syd disliked, he was a person that wanted to fight and attack, not wait and defend. Even if he was a relatively young Sidhe, his words carried a lot of weight due to his high standing with the court and the influence of his father.

At this Syd grimaced, his sire, was not a person he liked to talk about nor even acknowledge his existence at certain times. Their disagreements were known and it was a miracle they didn't kill each other. Yet Syd knew that his father was a better Duke than Syd or any of his siblings.

He put on his helmet and secured it before looking at the pile of corpses and starting to ride towards Arctis Tor.

o-0-o

Harry sat up in his bed and looked at Aurora whose eyes flung open and focused on his. "Morning, Har," she murmured and sat up. "I think today we won't spend bashing each other with swords."

Harry winced as phantom pain radiated from his back. Then it was gone and the grimace of pain was replaced by a smile. "What do you plan?"

"Culture and customs and politics," Aurora murmured and kissed him on the cheek. "And there is a lot of it. So, get dressed and then meet me in the library in an hour."

An hour later Harry walked between the shelves piled high with scrolls and books and various magical trinkets. It felt different than the library at Hogwarts, more ancient and old and dangerous. The pair of guards at the entrance, their gazes boring into Harry's back only added to that feeling.

He let his fingers brush against the dark blue ice crystals that formed one of the tables and then hissed when pain raced up his shoulder. A pattern of runes appeared and Harry's gaze focused on them, his mind trying to decipher them and their meaning.

"Warding runes," Aurora said as she appeared behind him. "The table is an artifact and an altar, very much so like the Stone Table."

He looked at her, his eyebrow moving up.

"Whoever makes a sacrifice of a living being," Aurora said and then paused, as if choosing her next words. "Whoever makes that sacrifice gains power of the thing they slayed."

"So, say, I kill a human on the Table," Harry said and Aurora's large eyes focused on him. "All of his power and energy goes to me?"

"In essence, yes," she said and then gave him a cold look. "But doing such a thing would be a terrible crime. Queens of the Winter and Summer have a rather dim view of Sidhe going on a rampage and killing humans."

Harry swallowed, his imagination quickly providing him with several rather grisly images of what could happen if he decided to do such a thing.

Aurora smiled at this and then looked at the table. Her expression sombre and subdued. "That's how the two Courts rose to their power long ago. Hundreds of thousands of humans sacrificed. Their blood and power fueling the rituals that gave the Queens the power they have now." She paused and then looked into his eyes. "That's the reason why the Seelie and Unseelie are so much more powerful and stronger than the rest of the Faerie. We are a minority, but we have the most power. We were created to have the most power and to be the sentinels."

"Sentinels?" Harry frowned. "Sentinels of what?" He asked, his mind lacking an idea what Aurora was talking about.

"Outer Gates," Aurora said and then almost shuddered as a gust of cold air wrapped around them. "The gate into the reality, so to say. We're not the first sentinels, nor the last, but now it is a duty of Winter to keep them locked and keep the Outsiders out of the reality." She then shook her head and placed a single, graceful finger on Harry's lips. "But now it's not the time to talk about them."

Harry wanted to argue, but the finger on his lips made him focus on something else. Something so much closer and so much more stimulating for his brain that for a second he forgot about everything else.

"Good boy," Aurora said and then turned, walked away from him with her hips swaying sensually. "There are more important matters to take care of. The Outer Gates can wait for when you are ready. The Accords, less so."

"Aren't they responsible for the period of calm?" Harry asked and Aurora turned to look at him. "You mentioned that last few dozen decades were peaceful."

"There is never peace," she corrected him and then smiled. "But yes, it is more peaceful and more organized as well. Previously, there was nothing preventing us to waging wars when and how we want or from killing messengers. Now, especially second, is a bad thing."

"How bad of a thing?"

"Enough to make Mab act," Aurora said cheerfully and then smiled. "There are several more interesting parts of the Accords that give you the advantages if you know how to apply them…."

o-0-o

 **A/N:**

Reviews:

 _doomqwer_ – The time wouldn't add up, if Dresden was to have a kid with Mab, that would have been after the Changes unless you can point me to a moment before it where she slept with him. As for small Harry's dad, let's say that he is in Mab's league or close enough to it.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N – Another chapter, New Year is almost upon us and I decided to be nice. Less nice to some characters, but that's the right of any author or writer.**

 **o-0-o**

"Enough to make Mab act," Aurora said cheerfully and then smiled. "There are several more interesting parts of the Accords that give you the advantages if you know how to apply them…."

"Like?" Harry asked, his curiosity and interest suitably piqued by her behavior.

"Like if you poison or at least try to poison everybody and accidentally kill the messenger, that's fine."

"So why can't I simply stab the messenger and throw his corpse into a closet?" Harry frowned. "In both situations they're dead."

"Harry," Aurora said, shaking her head. "The subtleties are all that matters. Harry, if you stab the messenger, that's a breach of the guest rights. If you poison everybody, you can get away with saying that the poison which they drunk was some kind of a test."

"It's confusing," Harry pouted. "All the subtleties and hidden meanings. I can comprehend what you mean. But like actually seeing them used is a different thing."

Aurora approached him and kissed him on the cheek. "Trust me, love," she murmured. "All of this soon will be second nature to you. You just need to get used to our way of life and thinking."

Harry shook his head and let out a grunt, one that could have been easily mistaken for an unhappy sigh. His feelings for Winter were mixed.

The magic filling the place and flowing through everything. Every single plant, animal, creature, fae, rock and even through the water made him stronger and he felt his body develop. The sudden abbudance of rich energy source put to good use by his body which started to catch up on its development.

As much as he appreciated the changes and the fact that he had some family. He was less thrilled that he felt the magic of the place affect his mind and thinking. The urges and feelings he had, some scared the crap out of him.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly calming himself and forcing the racing thoughts inside of his mind to calm down.

"Everything is right, love?" Aurora asked in a whisper, placing her hand on his cheek.

"Yes...," Harry said, his voice weak and wavering. "Just been thinking about stuff."

"You are pale," she murmured, her fingers gently brushing up his cheek.

"Aren't we all pale by birth?" Harry's chuckle was hoarse and lacking much humour.

A flicker of amusement appeared in Aurora's eyes and she smiled. "More so," she said. "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

Her eyes were lit by a strange fire and she shoved him against a nearby column. "Perfect," she purred as she kissed him.

o-0-o

Elaine let out a scream as a club appeared out of nowhere. She rolled out of its way. Her wand moving to cast a spell when Fix acted. His sword flashed and the limb holding the club fell onto the grass.

Followed by the bisected corpse of a massive ogre. A being so old that it rarely attacked people out of sheer spite and just to amuse itself. No, it was a being sent after them by someone with malicious intent.

"An ogre," Fix said as he sheathed his sword. "Mab would normally use trolls to eliminate us."

Elaine nodded and looked around. They were deep in the Wyldfae land and usually rulers of Wyldfae had a dim view of those sending assassins to kill someone passing through their land. Yet no rules applied to Mab when she wanted some goal achieved and an enemy eliminated.

Her logic was cold and twisted and merciless, but it was one that worked. Elaine scoffed, assuming that it was Mab that was behind this ogre was a risky assumption. Some assumptions needed to be made and this one made more sense than one saying that it was some of the Wyldfae deciding she was an undesirable person on their lands.

Also, that ogre was a message, that she wasn't safe even with Titania's influence around her and that assassins would still be able to reach her.

o-0-o

I entered my office and paused. A heavy, leather bag and a stack of papers laid on my desk. My eyes narrowed as my grip on the staff tightened. Last evening I didn't leave any such thing and I was sure that I locked the door.

My hand gripping the revolver I approached the desk and picked up the stack of papers laying there. I didn't feel any magic on it and relaxed magically. Quickly flipping through them I grimaced. It was Mab who left them. The traces of winter magic on the desk and the small letter that I found proved it.

I tossed the whole stack back onto the desk and picked up the letter.

 _Mr Dresden,_

 _I call one of the favors you owe me. The data and the bag of gold should cover all of the necessary expenses. The man I want you to find is a wanted criminal in his society and of importance to the Court._

 _You have two weeks from now to find him and bring to a place my envoy will give you. If you fail me the Hunt will be unleashed to find him._

I sighed, my hair running through my hair as I looked at it. Mab wanted someone found badly. And she knew how to get my attention on the case. The Wild Hunt would find whoever she wanted, killing God only knew how many bystanders.

Erlking was a vicious, cruel and outright nasty fae and one that loved brutality and chasing down his prey. I paused and then looked once more at the letter. Mab was even more vicious than normal and a small shudder of cold passed down my spine.

I sat down on my chair and took one more look at the papers. I needed to find Sirius Orion Black, some kind of a wizard from the UK. This all sounded already dangerous and strange. We didn't have any prisons for wizards, at least none of which I was aware. I picked up the papers, the bag and my gun and left the office. I needed information and I knew where to find it. Assuming I could safely get to my apartment. A thing I wasn't so sure of when fae were involved.

o-0-o

The House of Raith since time immemorial ruled over the White Court with iron fist aided by occasional assassination or kidnapping. Yet now their position was more fragile than ever, the King had been incapacitated by the Death Curse of the Margaret LeFay. Since that time over three decades ago he didn't feed a single time and now he was a thrall to his older daughter.

A thing that made many of the older nobles, those with power, wisdom, magic and connections try to arrange a change of leadership. However after the events that happened in the Raith Deeps with two other houses badly mauled after their attempt at that nobody was openly admitting that he or she saw themselves as the new White King or Queen.

None of the vampires was a fool... Some were, but those didn't live long enough or since then learned. A few of them however were notoriously foolhardy, always looking for even the smallest mistakes they could use.

Lara studied naked and sleeping form of Blaise Zabini with a hungry gaze. He was of classical beauty with tanned dark skin and pitch black hair. She licked her lips, yet managed to contain her hunger. He was a scion of some Sidhe and a human, yet his loyalties were with her court.

A most fortunate thing, she thought and then bit her lip in concentration.

The Hogwarts normally was treated as something unimportant and a good feeding place for some vampires. A thing that would have suited her perfectly fine, if not for the little fact that a son of Mab was there. A being that could mess with her plans, or those of the enemies of the White Court.

"A relative of mine could seduce him," Lara murmured, her hand moving down the side of Blaise and getting a soft sigh from him. "But Mab has a dim view of people seducing her family and she has been awfully protective of him."

"Sister, you forget about the main trait of the Winter," Natalia said slipping out of the hidden passage. "That they are lustful and outside of the Lady aren't known for staying out of the panties of a willing lover."

Lara's eyes narrowed as she realized she let Natalia slip undetected. She then brushed it aside and paused. "Yes, I know that. But Mab will strike down any vampire she sees getting its claws into her son. She invested too much into him to let us just feed off him. Well, feed without him willing and wanting it."

"That's... problematic."

"Not as problematic as I thought it would be."

"Oh?" Natalia asked, one of her elegant eyebrows gently arching.

"One, he is new to the Court and lacks power base sufficient compete with other nobles. Two, he will need human following. Three, we have agents that can slip undetected by Mab and still have some magic to help them seduce him."

"Mab can send an agent on her own to discourage our agents from getting him under control," Natalia said and then added. "And there is Titania who always has a grudge against Winter."

Lara's expression became more thoughtful as she carefully regarded her options. "I think it is a time to visit the Fae and bargain with them. See to the necessary arrangements and keep other houses unaware of them."

Natalia bowed her head and retreated out of the room.

o-0-o

Harry caught a dagger tossed by Aurora at him and used it to deflect another blade. Then he jumped backwards and rolled to the side. "Are you trying to kill me?" he yelled as a chunk of ice flew by his head.

Aurora smirked and ran towards him, her sword's blade glowing with some magic. "If I wanted you dead, you would be."

Their blades clashed and Harry winced. A shock of pain passing through his whole arm. He twisted, moved the blade and she flew forward. Suddenly no force was blocking her move. With a smile Harry sent a kick at Aurora and it connected with her back.

"You're better," she grudgingly admitted as she got up from the ground. She spat out some blood and then looked at him with a smirk. "Want to have some fun?" she asked sliding the blade of her sword into its scabbard.

"What do you suggest?" Harry's body was relaxed, yet his gaze was focused on her hands and he didn't drop his weapons.

"I don't know," Aurora said, her hand slipping across his side. "Maybe pay a visit to your guardians?" she whispered into his ear and then kissed him on the cheek. "I know that you hate them and this can be a good time to do something about them."

Harry frowned and shuddered at the memories surging forward. He closed his eyes and forced himself to breath deeply and slowly. When he opened eyes they took on a hard glean, the blue of the Arctis Tor visible in the normal green. "Let's do it," he said.

Aurora smiled, her teeth flashing in the predatory smile. "Get dressed and meet me in the armory."

o-0-o

I entered my lab. The candles lightning on their own as I passed. The tables and shelves were covered in hundreds of various containers with reagents I needed for my magic. I approached the end of my worktable and shoved aside some of the notes before placing things from Mab. Then I turned and looked at a skull laying on one of the shelves. "Bob! Wake up!" I yelled.

The skull was a housing of my spirit of knowledge and in its eyes orange flames appeared. "Sup, boss."

"Mab wants me to find a wizard in England," I said and then glanced at the papers. "Name is Sirius Orion Black and he is supposed to be a runaway prisoner." I frowned and looked once more. "And a murderer."

"Ooh, something interesting," Bob said and the flames became brighter. "Did you say Black?"

"Yes," I said and then my eyes narrowed looking at him. "Please, please tell me he isn't one of the Heirs of Kemmler."

"No, he isn't," Bob said and paused. The lights flickering and getting dimmer for a second. "Black's are an ancient family. And one that once or twice caught the attention of Wardens."

"That doesn't sound good," I slowly said. Wardens were nasty, brutal, cold and usually killed first and then asked questions. "Usually only really bad things get noticed by them."

"Something about mind control," Bob said and his eyes rolled. "Didn't have much more than that. Harry, you are aware of the other communities of practitioners?"

I nodded mindlessly, my attention drawn by the material from Mab. "Ebenezer mentioned them, most of them is too weak to be true wizards. Foresight, maybe some good or bad luck or something like that."

"Your education is lacking," Bob sighed and I looked at the spirit. "The community I mean is more powerful and White Council decided to ignore it because of how big of a headache it is."

I arched an eyebrow. "So, why nobody mentioned it to me?"

"Because the less people know, the less chance some zealot Warden goes on a crusade to bring them into the fold," Bob said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Now, check and tell me what Mab gave you about our prey."

I picked up one of the sheets of paper and frowned. "Shapeshifter, can change into a large, black dog. Black of hair, gray of eyes. Dangerous, a godfather of someone called Harry Potter."

"Pause," Bob said and I looked up at him. "We can expect all kinds of monsters not wanting us to find Sirius. The Nevernever is a mess and Mab is stirring all kinds of nasty magic, beings and monsters. Even Maeve was banished out of the Tor and nobody saw her."

"Isn't Queen and Lady supposed to work together?" I asked, the memories of the sadistic Sidhe fresh in my mind.

"Yes and no," Bob said and I wanted to smack him in the skull with my staff. "They both represent the same nature and usually work together, but Maeve wouldn't be the first Lady trying to kill the Queen. They don't like waiting for the throne and power."

"Won't she be stopped by Mab or the Mother?" I asked with a frown. "From what I know there are some normal Sidhe who can square off against a Lady."

"Harry, the Nevernever is boiling. The time isn't normal and Mab is up to something. Maeve most likely thinks her mother made a mistake and can be killed. And the Lady isn't the most rationally thinking being, nor the sanest."

I winced. If the things were that bad. I didn't want to know what the situation would be once every supernatural being was aware of who was Mab's agent. "Now, back to Sirius and the Britain. What do you know Bob?"

"They don't use many evocations, can change shapes of objects and animals. Stubborn, have interesting ideas and think that they are above supernatural beings. They rule over some kind of elves or their relatives that they bind to themselves with magic and use as servants."

My fingers rattled on the wood of my staff. "If I point the Summer in the right direction they will murder the community before the Council notices it," I said and then shook my head. "Bob, what do you know about the place where they keep their criminals."

"It would be better to ask Mab or Titania," Bob said and I looked at him. "The Mothers made the guardians by accident, when trying to find a way to deal with one Outsider creature. Since then they are bound to their prison and can only leave when chasing a prisoner."

"That's bad," I commented and then looked around. I needed to get to Edinburgh and ask the wizards there for more information.

o-0-o

Mab smiled as she watched her son and newest pawn hurry to the armory. "You are getting ready to be unleashed upon the world," she murmured and then glanced at Sarissa who stood a safe distance away. "How does your sister fare at causing damage to the Red Court?"

"One of the Lords of the Outer Night was killed by an ambush of Summer Lady," Sarissa said and smoothed her robe. "It caused disarray in their ranks and they pulled back to their strongholds in Mexico and the rest of the Latin America. From what fetches reported Kukulkan is invoking the ritual to elevate one of his nobles to the Lord of the Outer Night position."

"That's going to give the Council some time to lick their wounds," Mab said and pursed their lips. "Will they finally sign some peace treaty or will they keep fighting?" The war was a thing that shouldn't have happened and if she was given a choice she would have stepped in. But that was not a thing she could afford, even if the Fomor with their less the subtle support of the vampires were provoking.

"The Council wants blood," Sarissa said and Mab looked at her. "The spies I slipped into their ranks say that McCoy won't back down. He's arguing that too many Wardens and wizards are dead and that a sufficient retribution needs to be acquired from the vampires. But there is more to this than that."

"He won't because of the family," Mab said. "And because he knows the vampires need to come to them for any honest negotiations to happen. I suspect that he won't budge mainly because of his family, they want his grandson and his death would be disastrous for our plans.

"Kukulkan won't back down because he needs to appease his nobles," Sarissa added. "He is a god, but still, he is in a very dangerous place and I wouldn't be surprised if he was about to get a dagger to the throat."

Mab arched an eyebrow and regarded Sarissa with a cool gaze. "My dear daughter, what did I tell you about coups? They're messy, bloody, unpredictable, unreliable and risky. Even more when in the middle of a war with someone who can kill you and if he suddenly ended dead the rest of the Lords would have ripped itself apart. Making a suitable and easy target for the Council."

"So what would happen?"

"A group of the Lords would approach him and tell him what they want and he would either kill them all or accept or die," Mab said and then smiled thinly. "Send a message to Lara Raith, she hates the Red Court and I think she would be happy to learn that one of the Lords is dead."

"And what my brother is planning with his lover?" Sarissa asked approaching the mirror Mab was using. "He seems in a bit of hurry."

"Justice and revenge and probably Aurora did something to get his attention," Mab said, not even looking at Sarissa. "His mortal guardians are about to see how dark, cruel and vicious we can be. I could intervere, but he needs this."

"The Summer agents will try to interfere," Sarissa said and bit her lip. "Two sidhe, two young and very powerful sidhe alone will get the attention."

"See to that nobody interferes, not even your sister," Mab said and the mirror disappeared.

o-0-o

Harry slid the sword into a scabbard, grabbed a quiver full of arrows and a bow before reaching for a small circular shield he spotted earlier. Finally he grabbed a dagger that was designed to punch through armor. With that collected he walked through the armory and towards place where Aurora rummaged looking for something.

As he approached her, he had issues believing he was seeing the same girl he was used to sleeping with. She changed, the normally skimpy clothes she wore were even skimpier. Her shirt barely more than a bra and her pants barely covered her crotch and nothing more. His eyes narrowed as he looked at a thing wrapped around her waist.

"What is it?" he asked approaching her.

"This?" she asked uncoiling the thing and revealing a whip with seven or so tails, each of them studded with pieces of metal. "A torture tool and a good weapon. The tails are designed to cut the armor and skin. Normally I don't use it as most things know what it is." Aurora smirked and purred. "But the humans won't know what hit them."

Harry nodded and then looked at the other weapons she had, a pair of long daggers and a sword. "You seem ready," he said and slapped her in the ass. "Time to have some fun."

She smirked and then gave him a look. "Indeed," she said, the voice filled with lust and desire. "Come!"

As she said those words a gateway into mortal world appeared in one of the walls. Through the mist and fog they could both make out outlines of houses in a some English town. Harry looked at Aurora who just smiled and stepped into the image. One moment she was there, another she was gone.

Harry looked at the place where she was and taking a deep breath he stepped forward. He felt as if he stepped through a water curtain and then found himself out of the Nevernever and in England. He looked around and saw only Aurora stand in the middle of the street.

The stars in the sky above shone with a pale light and the moon was slowly making its way across the sky. Harry frowned, acutely aware that someone or something or many somethings were watching him.

He didn't have good feelings about it. Something was off, he just didn't know what. "You also feel it?" he asked, touching Aurora's arm.

She nodded and then looked around. "Something is here, I can't find it," she murmured, her hand going to her whip. "But is here."

"Later," Harry said and then indicated the house with the number four. "That's where my guardians live."

"No threshold worth noting," Aurora said. She walked to the edge of the property and let out a hiss. "Those wards," she murmured as she kneeled. "Harry, who was allowed to take some of your blood for this?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, his eyes slipping along the whole street. "I don't see anything."

"Because you shouldn't be able to see," Aurora said and got up before smiling at him. "What's the simplest way to cross a threshold?"

"An invitation," Harry said with an impish smile. "I, Harry Potter, invite you to my home at Privet Drive Four."

Aurora nodded and then smirked, easily entering onto the property. She looked at the door and then took her dagger and cut through the hinges as if they were butter and her knife was a hot knife. "It was charmed by the armorers to do this sort of things," she said and then smiled. "I added some of mine."

Harry just shook his head and followed her into the building. He frowned when he didn't pick up any noise. He was prepared to hear the TV and the talking. Yet there was nothing. There was only silence and darkness. Or at least for humans it was darkness, for him it was merely dim.

His emerald eyes glowed and then he gently tapped Aurora's elbow.

She turned and he indicated the stairs ahead. They walked up the stairs and for a moment Harry felt sorry for the Dursley's. But then memories of his time with them flashed through his mind and he squashed those ideas. He reached to his dagger and soundlessly pulled it out.

"How do we do it?" Harry whispered as they stood in front of the bedroom of the people he despised with his whole being.

"There are them and their son, right?" Aurora asked, the whip in her hand. "Or is there someone else, too?"

"Shouldn't be," Harry said and quietly opened the door, in his second hand a dagger. "Do you want to kill one of them?"

Aurora shook her head and Harry nodded. He stalked forward, his soft boots not making a single noise on the floor as he moved towards the bed. He glanced at Aurora who remained in the corridor, her eyes focused on the window. Then he looked at the sleeping form of his uncle and with little remorse drove the dagger into Vernon's neck.

He missed the throat with the first move and his uncle managed to get out a faint scream. But the following move of the blade that slashed the throat open and the spine put an end to his life. Harry looked at the spilling out blood, reddening the bed, then shook his head and cleaned the blade before moving to Petunia and putting a blade through her spine.

"Good job," Aurora whispered into his ear, her hand running up and down his back. "They deserved the deaths," she said and kissed him. "And it is far more merciful than Mab catching them. You gave them a painless death. One she would gave them would drag on for years, if not for decades."

Harry nodded, reached for some shirt laying nearby and started to meticulously clean the blade of his dagger. It was a blade designed for a far more noble purpose than killing of two defenseless individuals. The fifteen inches long and thin blade was razor sharp and hardened for the purpose of punching through tough hide or armor.

He slid it back into the scabbard and then staggered as a wave of nausea washed over him. "Can you handle him?" Harry asked, his gaze pleading and scared. "I can't take much more."

"Of course, love," Aurora said and then paused looking at Harry, her lips forming a smirk. "Killing him would be a waste. One of the higher Sidhe will graciously buy him for a suitable amount of gold or other valuable objects."

"If you say so," Harry said and followed her out of the bedroom and towards the room of his so much hated bully and enemy. About this one he didn't feel any remorse or pity whatsoever.

o-0-o

The Halls were more empty than they were when I last visited them. But the amount of Wardens and wizards on guard seemed to be doubled. Even my Warden cloak didn't give me free passage and at each station I was checked. Apparently Morgan was in sour mood and all of the incoming wizards were to be checked.

After all of the nonsense I made it into the proper Halls. Once there I headed for the rooms of Ebenezer McCoy, probably the only Senior Council wizard that was openly friendly with me. And probably the one or one of few that could give me useful information. Being the Blackstaff of the Council he dealt with matters a sane wizard avoided. Black magic, challenges, duels, deities, huge monsters and thousand and one nasty beings were his to take care of.

"Hoss!" someone shouted and I saw Ebenezer walk towards me. "What are you doing here?"

"Case from Mab," I said quietly and pulled out the papers, briefly showing them to Eb whose eyes widened in understanding. "Can we talk? Somewhere private?"

"My rooms, I think I found all the bugs."

I nodded and followed Ebenezer towards the rooms he was given as the member of the Senior Council. As we walked I kept my mouth shut. This case was a dangerous one and Bob's warning was fresh in my mind. Summer's agents were everywhere and they could be a vicious bunch. Especially when hunting down an envoy of Winter.

"What does she want from you?" Eb asked.

"Hunt down a criminal," I said and smiled. "One named Sirius Orion Black."

"Of course," Eb said and closed his eyes. "The godfather of Harry Potter. One who made Mab ignore and almost break agreements we have with her. Merlin was told to get lost and let her do what she pleased."

I looked at Ebenezer, the wizard that was my second mentor and was one of the most powerful wizards on the council as if they were insane.

"Yes, Hoss, Mab threatened to duel Merlin in one of the neutral grounds. I don't know what she was playing, but she did it. And it was all because of this Harry Potter."

"So Summer will be vicious," I said and winced. "More vicious than normal."

"They are busy attacking the Reds. Lily was seen carving a bloody path through the nobility of the Reds. We don't know what they did, but none of the higher ranking nobles was seen since then."

"What did happen that none of the Dukes is in the field?" I asked. The Dukes were field commanders and extremely dangerous combatants. Lack of them was a huge blow to the strength of the Red Court and it was an invitation to strike.

"We think that one or more Lords of the Outer Nights were slain," Eb said. "Considering who spearheaded last attack, that's more than likely. Lily is a novice, but she is a Summer Lady and Ladies are powerful."

"And she most likely was not alone," I said. "Probably some senior sidhe nobles took to the field with her and added their magic to hers."

"Probably," Ebenezer agreed. "Now back to your case. What do you know?"

"Not much. My sources were lacking information on the topic. All I know is that he is here, in the Isles."

Ebenezer took the papers from me and frowned before a grumble left his mouth. "Yes, he will be here. I suggest that you start with Hogwarts, their school of magic. The Headmaster of it is arrogant and sure of himself, but he knows what an angry Queen means."

"Anything else?" I asked, hoping to avoid students and schools.

"Track down relatives of Harry Potter," Eb muttered and then added with a frown. "And of Sirius Black, in their case be ready to deal with Warden business. They are less than sane and did some horrid things in the past."

"A charming gathering," I snorted. "No wonders Mab shows interest in them."

"There is more to her interest, Hoss," Eb warned me and I looked at him. "Don't assume that she doesn't know about their past or ideas. She has a very well thought out plan, one that did go without any mistakes until she forced Merlin to back away."

"The games of Sidhe are confusing," I said getting up.

o-0-o

Harry looked at Aurora who just gave him a wink and lazily played with her whip. She seemed as if she was in her element and Harry for a moment wondered if he knew whom she truly was. She smirked and moved.

The door to Duddley's room flew open and Aurora turned on the light. Letting them see obese form of Duddley only in his underwear lay on the bed. A thing that made Aurora smirk and laugh quietly. "So many Unseelie will pay a lot for him."

"Oh?" Harry asked, his voice indifferent as he tried to hide his emotions.

Aurora only nodded and tossed the blankets covering Duddley aside. "Now, watch," she murmured, her eyes glittering dangerously.

The whip coiled in her hand and then struck across the thin and weak skin of Duddley. The shards of metal and knots of leather biting hungrily into the flesh. Chunks of flesh and blood flying as Duddley woke up with a scream of anguish and terror.

"I thought you would sleep through," Aurora said with a pout as she licked the blood of the whip. She smiled and then approached Duddley, her hand reaching for a dagger. "Pig," she hissed in an angry whisper. "You angered my lover and hurt him," she whispered as she climbed onto Duddley's body.

She straddled his waist and pressed the dagger against his throat.

"You have two choices, I torture you for hours and I know how to keep you alive," she whispered, smiling at his whimpers of pain. "Or," she smirked. "You come with me and I won't torture you."

She then pressed the dagger a bit more forcefully drawing a bit of blood. "Of course," she continued. "You can say no to my gracious offer and your life will be a world of pain." The dagger moved away and Harry could see Duddley try to breath more deeply. "So choose."

"I'll come with you," Duddley said and Harry saw a feral smirk on Aurora's face.

She pressed her knee against his crotch, forcing a loud scream of pain out of his mouth and then whacked him in the head. "That way he will be less troublesome," she said, getting up. Harry saw smears of blood cover her torso and legs. "What?"

"Blood on you," he said and she just laughed.

"Blood is a thing I don't care about," she said and then wrapped a piece of rope around Duddley's legs and hands. She tied him up like a pig and a gate into the Nevernever opened in the wall behind him. She kicked his body into the gate and closed it. "That's done, let's get out of here."

"Why can't we use the same gate you used for him?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Because it would dump us in the dungeon of Arctis Tor," Aurora said with an impish smile. "Threshold makes it hard to accurately open gates and if he ends falling down few meters it won't matter."

"I even would like that," Harry said and winced as a floorboard creaked under his foot. It sounded like a thunder. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Be careful," Aurora said as she walked out and paused, raising her hand. "There is someone powerful nearby."

Harry tensed, a wave of fear rushing forth as he looked around. His eyes scanning the neighborhood. Then they widened as he noticed a faint mirage with a corner of his eye. "The building across the street," he whispered.

Aurora's head whipped in said direction, her hand going to her knife and then she paused. Her eyes squinting and turning into a pair of slits. "I see it," she whispered. "Put two arrows into the wall next to it.

"You sure?" Harry asked, his hand reaching into his quiver and pulling out an arrow.

"I don't want to be stabbed in the back and an arrow is a good warning."

Harry's arms moved, the past three weeks of training kicking in as he notched the arrow, aimed and then fired. Before the first arrow hit he reached for the second and fired in another fluid motion. He followed them with his gaze and Harry's eyes widened when a sword flashed and split the arrows in half.

"That's troubles," Aurora said, cussing quietly and then added with a sour smile. "First venture into the mortal world with a prince of Winter and we meet the Knight."

Harry swallowed at her words and gulped. "Knight?"

"Fix," Aurora said walking out of the house, daggers in her hands. "Summer Knight, not as skilled as Reul, but had time to hone his skills."

"What can we do?" Harry asked, eyeing the Knight opposing them.

"He is a Knight," Aurora reminded him quietly. "He can kill you or me when he wants to and in whatever way he wants to."

Harry felt cold sweat flow down his back as he took position slightly behind Aurora. He notched an arrow onto his bow and waited for any movement. This confrontation reminded him very much of the confrontation with the basilisk. But when facing that overgrown snake he knew what to expect. Here he only had extremely fuzzy and vague idea of the abilities and powers at Fix's disposal.

"A pair of Unseelie," Fix said, approaching them. "What were you doing here?" he asked and then jabbed his finger at Aurora. "And why are you covered in human blood?"

"None of your business," Aurora said, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the daggers. "Let us leave and we won't cause you any problems."

"None of my business?" Fix asked. "You are of _Winter_ and killed few humans, which makes it my business."

"Few humans that abused and hurt someone," Aurora shot back. "This, this was justice and nothing more."

"And since when you care about the feelings and conditions of someone else?" Fix asked and Harry shot a worried look towards Aurora.

She didn't say anything and instead her whip lashed out. The tails unfolding and wrapping around Fix's sword. Then Aurora yanked back the weapon and caught the sword. "We might as well as kill you."

Harry had a split second warning before a column of fire almost hit him. He rolled and winced as he scraped his knees. Getting up he drew his bow and fired an arrow at Fix.

"Summer has powerful fire and earth magic," Aurora called as she cleaved a gnarled root trying to wrap around her. "Ground will be a trap for you."

Harry cursed as he swatted away a sapling of a tree with his bow and then looked at Fix. The Summer Knight was unharmed and stood a safe distance away. It seemed as if he didn't want to risk melee after the whip snatched his sword.

Then he pulled out of the Nevernever a bow and a quiver of arrows. As Harry looked at them he felt some bad vibe from them. He didn't wait for them to hit him and slammed his feet into the ground.

A hail of ice and wind came, slashing into the vegetation trying to cover the road and hurled towards Fix. Only to be met by a cone of fire that first stopped it and then burned through.

"Fuck!" Harry yelled, rolling out of the way of the incoming inferno.

"I'll fuck you tonight," Aurora said casually as several shards of ice formed in front of her and smashed into Fix.

The Summer Knight was hurled backwards, but then he was back at his feet. Balls and pillars of fire and light shooting from his hands and slamming at a dome Aurora managed to make.

"How can he be so strong?" Harry asked, placing his hand on the dome and strengthening it. "He throws so much magic around."

"He... is... the... Knight," Aurora said, sweat flowing down her forehead. "He is the most senior and most powerful agent of his Court. Be happy he is new to this position and doesn't have much training. Lloyd Slate or Reul would have killed us before we knew they were upon us."

Harry shook his head and channeled more magic to the dome. "Can you open a gate and get us out of here? He will sooner or later punch through and even if Mab is my mom, I don't have her reserves of magic."

"I can open," Aurora said and winced as she wiped some blood of her face. "But the Knight will follow us and Mab will be furious if he appears in Tor."

o-0-o

 **A/N – Yes, Fix is showing some impressive magic, but he doesn't have a good other choice as a hand to hand combat might end with one dead Knight while magic duel is more of two fried Sidhe.**

 **Reviews:**

 _syphiralae_ – she had a list of suitable families, most chosen on the simple logic, wizards and far away from Winter for obvious reasons. There were other factors, but what they are, that's Sarissa's part to divulge some time into the future.

 _doomqwer –_ isn't she? She has a reason to do what she does as after all Titania called a favor and we both know that with Fae Queens you need to play fair. *thinking* even trying to kill yourself wouldn't work when they really want to collect their debt.

 _GameWhino_ – maybe he is or maybe he isn't. Who said that Mab isn't using her own considerable power to keep his paternal traits subdued and hidden? Or that his food wasn't spiked with something that does it? Or that he has them, but he doesn't realize they are gifts from his daddy and thinks that they are Sidhe traits or his stupid luck? *runs away cackling*


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N – And another chapter, I think I need to slow down and give you more time between each. Helps with making readers want every single scrap they can get their clawed little hands on.**

 **o-0-o**

Harry muttered a curse and punched the dome. It's outer surface buckled and needles of ice flow towards Fix. "We need to get out of here. I don't fancy being cooked and served during some feast in the Summer Court."

"Neither do I," Aurora said and grimaced as she placed her palm next to his. "There is no quarter given when Winter and Summer fight. That he is here means that someone wants me or you or dead."

"And that someone is high enough to be able to ask a Queen to send this after us?" Harry asked and liked his lips in fear. "I never knew that it could be that dangerous."

Aurora kissed him on the cheek and placed her second hand on Harry's back. "We will be fine love," she whispered and then looked in the direction of Fix. "There is second option to consider here love. That the ones that asked Titania or Lily to send him are simply important enough for the Court. The third option and one that's very likely is that it is the Queens themselves sending him."

Harry nodded and breathed heavily. The magic putting a huge strain on his body. His black hair turned into a stringy mess dropping down the front of his face as streams of sweat raced down his back.

"We... Need... To do something," he said and reached for his sword.

Aurora looked at his paling form and bit her lip in worry. Harry could tell that all of her confidence was a skillful mask, one very carefully woven and kept, but slipping.

"I have an idea," she murmured. "On my mark stop channeling the magic and jump away from that spot."

Harry glanced at her and then at Fix before grimly nodding.

He didn't see her mark as much as he felt. He leaped to the side and then bounced off the grass on some lawn before coming to stop full twenty meters away from Fix.

"Now, time for round two," Harry said, slowly pulling out his sword and gripping it firmly with his hand.

"I can take you up on the challenge, prince of winter," Fix called out and then was upon Harry, his two-handed sword making an arc in the air and forcing Harry to roll out of the way.

Harry screamed as he dodged the coming blade and then in a hopeless attempt he pulled out his dagger and hurled it at Fix. The Summer Knight didn't see it until the very last moment and he barely managed to change its course.

"Yes!" Harry howled as he saw Fix drop to the ground, a dagger in his side.

"Not so soon, young prince," Fix said as he appeared behind Harry. His sword slashing down towards Harry's unprotected back.

As Harry prepared for the pain, he didn't feel anything. Instead there was a clang of steel on steel and he noticed Syd stand next to him in a full plate armor. "I suggest that you leave, now," Syd said, his voice level and calm. "My mistress will be most displeased if her favored handmaid and brother die."

"Brave words for such a young one," Fix said and freed his blade, leaping away from Syd.

Harry felt unsure what was going on when a gust of cold wind wrapped itself around him and in an explosion of Aurora Borealis arrived Sarissa. Magic flowed around her and Harry gasped when he felt it press onto him.

"I suggest that you back away, Knight," she coldly said, her eyes two balls of ice. "One against four Sidhe nobles are bad odds. Even for one trained to kill anybody whom your masters want dead."

Fix looked at Syd who seemed all too relaxed and willing to strike and then glanced at Harry and Sarissa, before finally looking at Aurora. "Indeed, they are," Fix muttered, his blade between him and Syd. "I will leave you, but I won't be that merciful next time we meet in the material world."

Then he was gone, an invogorating, warm wind left in his wake.

"He has some logic left," Sarissa commented and then with a wave of her hand opened a portal into the Nevernever. "But we better hurry before something stronger comes. The Summer doesn't like giving up its victories."

o-0-o

I scowled as I stormed out of the office of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He was not a wizard I expected. From what Ebenezer said he was supposed to be a smart and intelligent person. All I got from him was arrogance, pride and some prejudice.

"Bloody idiot!" I snarled as the sculpture jumped out of my way.

"The Headmaster, I presume," someone said and I whirled, my blasting rod appearing in my hand as I looked at someone that looked and smelled like a vampire.

"And you are?!"

"Severus Snape," he said with a scowl that could match mine. "Local Potion Master."

I sized him up, trying to see if he was lying and then nodded. "Yes, the Headmaster. I was expecting more of him."

"You expected someone wise and intelligent."

"Or less idiotic," I said as I followed Snape. "My mentor said Dumbledore was a man he respected. I see nothing worth of respect. I am here trying to track down a person and my employer is less than understanding of a failure."

"If I may ask, whom are you supposed to find?"

"Sirius Black," I said with a shrug. "Somehow he caught attention of Mab." At this I smiled as Snape almost smashed into the wall in shock. Or at least it looked like he had been in shock, there was some vibe to him I couldn't quite associate with anything I knew. "Yes, she's real and has quite a lot of interest in him."

"Black, I never expected him to catch so much attention," Snape said and then scowled. "Him and I hated each other during our school years. Now that he escaped from Azkaban, I think he would try to find his godson. I know where he was supposed to be, at least in theory, as somehow he didn't emerge from the chamber. And nobody knows what happened to him."

"Where?" I asked, trying to learn anything of use.

"Surrey, south of this forsaken country. Little Whinging, Privet Drive 4," Snape said and then smiled. "If you find Black, kick him in his furry ass. Oh, his animagus or as you would call it shapeshifter form is a large, black dog. If you know how a grim looks, that's a close enough image."

o-0-o

Harry sighed as he laid on the shore of a natural pool deep below the fortress of Arctis Tor. The water was pleasuringly hot and he felt all of the tensions and aches leave him. He looked at his arms and smiled seeing the thick and visible cords of hard muscles he started to develop.

The training he was forced to undergo was one that made him want to drop onto the floor after the end of each day and sleep for an eternity. His muscles burned, tendons ached and even bones were battered by the daily duels he was forced to fought. Yet he did it all and didn't complain, something inside was driving him not to give up and he wanted to show his mother, Mab, that he was a son that deserved her attention.

"It's so nice here," he said sleepily, his mind snapped out of the troublesome thoughts by the pleasant warmth and the columns of steam rising into the air. "I wish we had something like this at Hogwarts. Laying in this water is so relaxing and even better when everything aches."

"Hot springs in the middle of Winter," Aurora said with a chuckle as she moved to his side. "Not a thing I think you would have guessed."

"No," he said and ran his hand down her shoulder. "But I won't say I don't enjoy this pleasure."

"It is good and relaxing," Aurora muttered as she looked at the slightly milky color of the water. "But the pleasure have their place and time. Which isn't now as we need to talk about politics of the Court, influence and power." She then flashed him a grin. "And how to survive in this place."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked. "I have no position because I'm a boy and the Mantles can only be passed down the female line."

"Technically you don't have," Aurora said with a sigh and then gave him a look. "You are a son of Mab, a being whose power can shape and affect the reality. The being that accrued more power than generations of wizards could even dreamt of. Some of the power was passed onto you when you were conceived and your father is also a being that can't be underestimated."

She flashed him a grin and kissed him on the forehead. "Further more, your potential on your own is significant. The duel with Fix? Not many Sidhe have the brute strength needed to stall the Knight, even when using magic. Yet you did it Harry," Aurora whispered and gave him a look. "Trust me, you have the power, you just need to believe that you have it."

She kissed him once more and then looked into his emerald green eyes. "Your parent's gifts affect you of course and their power affects you. But you also have yours to call upon." She then moved away and smiled. "So don't say that you lack power or means of acquiring it. It is just a matter of time."

"Who is my father?" Harry asked quietly, his gaze drawn by the ceiling of the chamber and the patterns visible in the ice. The light split into its basic colors bounced from one crystal to another, creating a mosaic of colors. "Mother, Sarissa, even you mention him, yet don't mention his name."

"Because the information is priceless," Aurora said and then winced. "I was forced to swear to Mab that I wouldn't reveal his identity. Even to you. Yes, it is cruel and cold and unpleasant for you. But it is the best for your safety and ensuring that you don't have a herd of assassins following you. He acquired many enemies over his life and most of them would happily slid the throat of his offspring when they can't hurt him."

"How powerful is he?" Harry asked and rolled his eyes when Aurora arched an eyebrow. "If he has so many enemies he needs to be powerful."

"Or extremely long living. When you get to the age of your mother or him, you will have a very long list of people wanting you dead or hurt. Hurting an immortal being or one that has a mantle that grants him immortality can be a bit troublesome," Aurora said and smiled mysteriously. "There are ways and I know of them as that is my task for Mab, murder those that are immortal and she deems a threat. But most assassins don't know them and prefer simpler and less troublesome murder of mortal offsprings."

"Fair," Harry muttered and then ran his hand through the hair. "So, since my parents are immortal, I'm chewtoy for their enemies?"

"Those that think they can get away without causing their wrath," Aurora said quietly. "Mab is a being that will spend decades, but will ensure that she gets her revenge. She will get it and nothing will stop her. There is almost nothing that doesn't fear her or isn't aware of what she can do when pushed to her limits. Even if it takes centuries or millenia, she will have her revenge and the one that slighted her will pay for it."

Harry felt a gust of cold wind flow through the chamber and shake him before he shook his head and submerged more in the water. "Interesting," he said and with a content sigh he looked at Aurora. "And what does it have to do with my position at the court."

Aurora nodded and smiled at him. "The more powerful you are at the court the amount of the enemies that are willing to move against you drops drastically. Think that way, now you are nobody and killing you is relatively simple. Now, when you have a following of several high ranking Sidhe nobles and are openly acknowledged by Mab as her son. Well, those sane will try to talk first. Those less so will get a rude wake up when they discover the wrath of Winter."

Harry smiled and kissed her on her cheek. It was more chaste and cautious than their normal expression of emotions and feelings. But he was still tensed and didn't feel too comfortable in his own body. What he did to the Dursley's was a thing he needed and wanted, but he felt dirty and unclean. "And how can I build the following?"

"By doing what you just did," she said with a smirk. "That fight with Fix and that you came out alive? It will make many pause and maybe some will even approach you."

"Why would they?" Harry frowned. "I mean. Maeve is the Winter Lady and Sarissa is obviously groomed to be her replacement."

"Because Maeve has a great deal of enemies," Aurora said and then grimaced. "There are rumors. Rumors I'm thinking are truthful, that she went mad and is less than capable of performing her duties."

Harry glanced at his girlfriend and frowned. "So, since she is unpopular and has that reputation. Some Sidhe would gladly ally with someone else? Someone who has an easy access to Mab and can be seen as saner?"

"And more importantly is of her blood," Aurora muttered softly kissing him. "You don't understand yet how much of power even a single drop of blood can carry and how damage can be done to someone."

Harry closed his eyes and deeply focused. Something long forgotten coming to the surface of his mind. "A year ago, more than a year ago I was attacked by a teacher of mine possessed by one who left me with my scar," Harry said as his fingers gently moved and parted his hair, revealing the scar. "When he touched me and his nails made me bleed, he started to scream in pain, as if he was burning."

"A nasty piece of magic," Aurora commented and Harry gave her a look. "Your blood can be conduit for such a thing. But normally you use something that's already dangerous against particular foe. Getting scratched is a risk, but against something unsuspecting I guess it would be useful."

"It killed him," Harry said and then frowned. "Or at least that's what the Headmaster told me. But the more I think, it didn't kill the wraith, just the host."

Atalanta looked at him and then gently hugged him. "That can wait for a different day, today I want you to relax and forget about the troubles of the world."

Harry's face was lightened up by his faint smile. "I will try to," he murmured.

o-0-o

I stepped out of the Nevernever and looked around. The magic was flying all over the place. The plants were sprouting in the middle of a street with shards of ice too frozen to melt scattered all over the place. I closed my eyes and opened my Third Eye.

The moment I did it, my Sight, was assaulted by the greens and reds of the Summer and greens and blues of Winter. "Something big and bad was fighting here," I murmured and then turned to one of the houses. Magic was all over it and there was a subtle, yet impossible to miss smell of death and blood in the air.

My blasting rod slipped into my hand and I walked forward. The threshold didn't stop whatever it was. I frowned and kneeled in the grass. It was not breached, someone invited someone into the house. One of the two someone's killed the inhabitants and then clashed with the agent of Summer.

My magic wasn't about subtle and careful investigations and deciphering what happened. But the magic used here was strong enough for me to pick up at least one trace. Fix, Summer Knight, was forced to hastily retreat.

"Now, what or rather who could have made the Knight run away," I mused and then shrugged. They weren't here so they could wait a moment.

I entered the house under number four and my nose was immediately assaulted by the strong stench of dead bodies and some foul magic. I gripped my blasting rod tighter and climbed the stair. There were three doors ahead of me. From one on the right was coming the stench of blood and death, the middle one was closed and seemed the most normal. While the one to the left was smelling of blood.

I stalked towards the one on the left and pushed the door with my rod.

When nothing jumped out and wanted to rip apart the rod I entered. The room was strange. Several stains of blood on the bed and floor around it and on the wall behind it. But other than that nothing. I narrowed my eyes on the wall and then noticed magic there.

"Something came in, killed or abducted or kidnapped him and disappeared with the body into the Nevernever," I mused and looked around. There were no mirrors, so it was no ghost or other baddie that used it as a gate. "So, two someone's came out of the Nevernever on the street. Crossed the threshold, kidnapped or killed him. Did something in the other room. Came out, fought Fix and left."

I ran my hand through my hair and shook my head.

Summer Knight was an agent of the Queens, the list of beings that were a threat to him was short. Outside of the other Knight, which was as far as I knew, unavailable, both sets of Queens there weren't many beings of the Nevernever that would do such a thing.

There were of course beings that could have also done it. But if they were here the district would have been a crater and the Nevernever would boil. With nothing of that power visible I went to the other room.

Inside on the bed laid two bodies, both of them killed in sleep. The wounds were done by a dagger, a simple and deadly weapon and one that was designed for killing. It wasn't a killing for a ritual, a minor, but important distinction for me rituals could be nasty.

I leaned towards the bodies and focused on my Sight. There was some magic visible around the cuts, one that shouldn't be visible by now.

"Winter," I murmured. "But why Mab kills my leads to find Sirius?"

A floorboard creaked behind me. I spun around and barely raised my hand to summon a shield as a beam of red light slammed into it.

A thin, haughty looking man stood in the doorway. His hair black, long, unkempt and stringy. His eyes haunted and black. But that was not what caught my attention. He was dressed in rags and his hand was clenched on a thin stick of wood.

"Who are you? Why did you kill them?" he asked.

o-0-o

Being a son of Mab had advantages, Harry decided as he arrived at the end of the stairs leading to the dungeons and the trolls on guard let him through. The moment he crossed them he felt a change in the air. The amount of the dormant magic in the dungeon was staggering, most of it bound in the form of runes and wards holding the various beings contained.

"Time to have a bit of family time," Harry muttered, pulling his helmet off his head and leaving himself only in his armor. A shield and a bow on his back, and a sword in a scabbard at his side. "Maybe the stay in this hellhole changed his mind."

He stopped in front of the wall of the cell containing his cousin and moved his hand. The ice peeled away and revealed a doorway into the room. Stepping through it Harry looked around and winced from the stench of the unwashed body and urine on the floor.

He ignored it and looked at the awfully obese form of his cousin sitting in one corner. A thin blanket wrapped around his body.

"Hello Duddley," Harry cheerfully said and his cousin looked up at him. For the first time in those piggy eyes Harry saw fear, pure and undiluted fear. "I see that you enjoy your new home."

"H-Harry?" Duddley choked out, his eyes widening even more.

His cousin wasn't dressed in the rags he wore the last time Duddley saw him. Instead, he wore a scale armor specifically forged for him, the scale shining with their own inner light and in many of them small gems and pearls were set. Making the whole scatter the light around the wearer and potentially blinding any of his opponents.

However that was not the only difference, previously Harry never ate enough food and looked sickly pale and thin. Now he was still pale, even more, but he didn't look sickly. Instead his features started to sharpen and become more predatory and noble.

"Yes, it is me," Harry said and crossed the cell. "How does it feel to be on the other end? As the one that's scared and afraid of everything?" he asked, gaze of his eyes focused on Duddley.

Duddley sobbed and turned his eyes away from Harry. "Let me out," he cried. "I didn't do anything to you!"

Harry's lips curled into an unpleasant smirk. "You didn't?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. Then he turned and walked out of the cell, stopping briefly in the doorway. "You have time to think until I come back."

He then shut down the door, put on his helmet and secured the mail protecting the front of his face before stalking out of the dungeon. He was supposed to accompany his sister as she was to meet with a group of White Court vampires and then bring them to the Tor.

o-0-o

I looked at the man and then at the wand in his hand. "I suggest that you lower the stick," I said, my blasting rod pointing at the floor. "I don't want to hurt you, but if need be I will."

"You killed them and now you tell me to disarm myself," the man said bitterly, his laughter hollow and rattling my bones.

The man was irritating and there was something off about him. "Listen, I didn't kill them, and if I wanted you dead, you would be dead." Then I shrugged. "Besides, it was you who fired a spell at me."

"Sorry," the man said. "For last few weeks I've been tense. The Ministry isn't subtle when they try to hunt down someone."

I chuckled and then paused as realization hit me like a sledgehammer. "You are Sirius Orion Black?!"

"At your services," he said with a bow. "Pardon my clothes, but it is hard to look good when you need to sleep anywhere you can."

"I'm sure that you will be able to sleep in better conditions in few days," I said and then paused. "A person, well, being that apparently has some interest in your godson, hired me to find you and then inform her of it."

"Her?" Sirius asked, the stick lowered a bit, his muscles relaxing.

"Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness. One of the most... interesting beings I met. And one that I owe some favors to."

Sirius shook his head and laughed. "Myths and legends coming alive."

"You just didn't notice them," I said looking at the bodies. "I guess we don't want to stay here. The authorities will come and I don't want to be here when they'll discover all of this mess. I spent too much time arrested for stuff."

"The Ministry will be worse," Sirius said and paled when several popping sounds erupted around the house. "They're here."

"Stay behind me," I said and then walked out of the bedroom. Staff and blasting rod in my hands. "If they're sane, they will back down. If not, I'll make them back down."

"How?" Sirius asked, fear still visible in his eyes.

"I took down beings far more dangerous than them," I said and then corrected my grey coat, normally I hated it. But when being forced to invoke the Accords it was useful.

The moment I stepped out I was forced to activate my shield. A dozen of beams smashed into it and I staggered backwards. There was some punch behind those spells.

"Allright guys," I called out. "Attacking a Warden on duty can be unpleasant." I pointed my staff in the direction of those clowns in black robes. _"Ventas servitas!"_

A gust of wind came out of nowhere and picked them as if they were particles of dust before hurling across the street. I grinned and then looked at them with some anger.

"Next time you try an ambush, be sure to knock out or kill me."

The glare I gave them and the smoking blasting rod in my hand seemed to have a calming effect. One by one they disappeared, yet I felt that I was not done with them and their idiocy. A peculiar mental image, of the idiots in their fancy black robes storming the land of Winter.

"What's so funny?" Sirius asked and I chuckled.

"Those idiots, I think they're not quite done with getting their claws into you," I said and then ran my hand through the hair. "Stars and stones, only bloody and bumbling idiots try to fight with Mab."

"Why?"

I looked at Sirius and then realized that he was unaware of what exactly Mab was. "Can you fight a glacier that's moving towards you? And one that's guided by an intellect that's far older, far nastier and far more powerful than any mortal man or woman?"

"No, I guess not," Sirius said and then chuckled darkly. "But the Ministry will think she's an animal and can be brought to heel."

I only laughed at the sheer idea of it. Even the Merlin, the most stuck up and stubborn and arrogant member of the Senior Council understood that Mab could and would kill him with a stray thought if she only wished to.

"I will happily watch them try to do it," I said, my fingers rattling against my staff before looking at Sirius. "Do you have any place where we could hide without those idiots attacking us?"

"An old family house," Sirius said and winced. "Full of hostile creatures and pests."

I only grinned. "That I like."

o-0-o

The wind howled across the plains outside of Arctis Tor and Harry wrapped himself more tightly in a thick, fur-lined cloak made out of the wool of the sheep-like creatures inhabiting the forests of the Winter.

He snorted at the comparison, the only two traits they had in common with sheep were the massive horns and thick wool. Outside of that they were carnivores, big, mean and hunted on anything trespassing their territory. Vampire, summer fae, human, Fomor, anything that wasn't of Winter and was a living being could be eaten.

Harry shifted in the saddle and tried to find a more comfortable position. A futile task as his whole ass was sore and he wanted to curse the stead he was riding. It was one of the finest steads out of the herds kept by the Winter for usage by its warriors. But it was also a cause of his suffering and he really, really disliked that.

"You will get used to it," Syd said and Harry looked at the Sidhe who smiled cockily. "Trust me, few hundred or thousand hours in the saddle and you will get used."

"I don't see any point in it," Harry muttered. "Magic can be used by me to fly and navigate the field of battle. So why learn how to ride."

"That is a very good question," Syd said and Harry arched an eyebrow in question. "Flight of any form is a spell, spell that takes an extremely small amount of magic. But does it constantly and there are beings that you need every ounce of strength to defeat." Syd then smiled. "Besides, your abilities of keeping yourself in the air are less than decent."

"I can float," Harry pointed out.

"When you focus all of your magic on this single task and nothing disturbs you," Syd said with a grin. "Perhaps we should discuss your performance when I and Aurora start to hurl balls of ice and stone shards to test your shields."

"That won't be necessary," Sarissa said as she moved to join them. "The point you make Syd is good and my brother won't be able to discuss with me. He needs to be ready for warfare, as soon as possible. The war is entering its final phase and he might be tasked with leading our strike force as Her Majesty can't do so."

"Why?" Harry asked and they looked at him. "Why can't mother enter the war?"

"She declared to be independent," Sarissa said with a sigh. "I know why, but I disagree with her on the decision. Yes, Fomor are a bigger threat than the Red Court at the moment is and we need to focus our attention on those pests, but the vamps are growing too powerful."

"And the events at the Table didn't help," Aurora said quietly. "What Dresden and Maeve and Slate did, that unsettled Mab and shown the Court in bad light. Now she will avoid actions that put her in a precarious position. If Maeve was saner, we wouldn't have the mess we have."

"The Court would move as one," Syd said. "Maybe even She would show up to share Her wisdom with the generals and tell us how to force the Reds to surrender."

"She has the ways of guiding us even when we don't see it," Sarissa said quietly. "There are things nobody outside of the closest circle of Mab's advisors is aware of."

Harry nodded and then glanced at the several Sidhe nobles that accompanied them. "Why are we called the nobility?"

"The Sidhe were the first fae to appear," Sarissa said. "The most beautiful, the most intelligent, the most powerful magically, but also frail physically. Then the rest appeared, each species suited for a single task. Fetches, spies, envoys and assassins. Goblins and dwarves, smiths and warriors. Hounds, trackers and so on.

"Quite a few appeared when we bred with other pantheons and humans. This added new traits and bloodlines, some of them extremely volatile and dangerous. Oft making already a powerful Sidhe line an even more powerful one."

They rode in silence, their steads tirelessly moving through the snow and not showing a hint of exertion. Harry placed his hand on the neck of his horse and only then he noticed the magic flowing through his mount. His observation only made Sarissa nod.

"We do it so that in times of war they have some resistance to magic of enemies and makes it easier for us to strengthen them," she said and then gave Harry a pointed look. "How do you think they can survive charges and crashing through enemy lines?"

"Luck?" Harry asked, making them all chuckle.

"That is a factor," Syd said and then paused, getting Harry's attention. "But normally after crashing into enemy lines we would be forced to put down. The shock and the wounds would do their job."

"After all anybody seeing our nobles prepare for a charge would get spears into the first ranks," Aurora mused. "Or other things that are long, sharp and spiky and can kill horses."

"Sister," Syd said and Aurora looked at him. "You forget that usually when we charge, we do it supported by the magic users that can keep enemy surprises away. And that last time the Winter Lady led it."

"We're getting away from the point," Sarissa said and Harry looked at her. "Horses don't fare well when slamming into a steel and wooden wall. We need something that cushions the impact and doesn't force us to replace the steeds every single battle."

Harry nodded and then looked around curiously as the landscape changed. The rolling hills, mountains and pine forests covered in heaps of snow started to go away. The thick cover of clouds becoming more and more faint. Even the atmosphere was shifting, warm currents of air bringing smell of vegetation and something more. Something Harry couldn't quite put.

"That's the place where the land of Wyldfae begin," Aurora said as she whistled and the warriors that were around them moved closed. "The land where we might find some adventures or dangers."

"Such as?" Harry asked, his green eyes scanning the fog shrouded vastness ahead.

"Demented and crazed gods of old, Wyldfae of all shapes and forms, feral beasts, vampires, human wizards and so on," Sarissa cheerfully said. "Even the fae of the Seelie Court won't hesitate and might attack us."

"A charming place," Syd said as he raised his bow and fired at a massive hound that appeared out of nowhere. "That was probably some servant of the local ruler."

"Or on the payroll of the dozen groups that think killing us would be good," Sarissa said and then looked at the warriors. "You know what to do."

They nodded and reduced the distance between themselves and the inner group. Harry looked at them with some curiosity, all of them wore heavy chainmail with plates of hardened metal over vital areas and were armed with lances, swords and bows. All of them reminded Harry how different was the craftsmanship of faeries compared to that of humans.

Human was bulky, mass-produced and often ugly. In short it was first and foremost practical and fulfilling its purpose with the minimum attractiveness.

The weapons and tools of fae were beautiful and pleasant for the eye, their deadlines and purpose only accented by their decorations and nice shapes. Harry reached to his belt and wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword. The wood and leather fitting his hand perfectly and the coldness of metal strangely comfortable for him.

"Relax," Aurora whispered into his ear. "You are tensed and all of the enemies will see it."

"Or will be more aware," Syd added. "Don't give a fuck about your environment and enemies. That pisses them a lot," his lips quirked. "How do you think I defeated so many nobles with centuries of experience?"

"By pissing them off?"

"More by forcing to make mistakes and expose themselves. But yes, pissing off is a good idea."

Harry was about to comment when Sarissa raised her hand, making all of them stop. Then a gust of wind blew from behind her and banished the mist. Revealing fifteen the most beautiful beings Harry ever saw. They were even more beautiful than the fae, yet felt predatory, as if they were a threat.

"White Court vampires," Aurora whispered. "Sex demons, one in the middle, on the white stead, that's their leader, Lara Raith. Don't look into the eyes and avoid being intimate with them. When they have sex with their lovers they feed. They eat the energy of their lovers and make them addicted."

"Lady Raith!" Sarissa called out. "We're here as agreed upon. Her Majesty didn't agree for you to enter the land of Winter without our guidance."

"That's perfectly acceptable, My Lady," Lara said, her voice sending some shudders across Harry's body. "We brought the steads so that we can accompany you."

Sarissa smiled and then nodded in approval before following for Lara's group to follow them.

o-0-o

Elaine smiled as she kneeled on a lawn in Surrey. The death of the people inhabiting the house had been a terrible thing and one she really hoped could be avoided. But she also knew why they died and it made her feel like they deserved the thing.

The cause of her smile was however something else. A strand of pitch black hair and some dried, but still usable blood were visible. She reached for a small bag she carried with herself for just such things and gently scooped up all of her precious and invaluable evidence before placing in the bag.

"Now, let's see what can we learn of you, Harry Potter," Elaine muttered, dusting off her clothes. She briefly considered taking another look inside of the house, but the risk of running into troubles was too high and she didn't want to meet cops.

The blood and hair were all she needed for her magic to work. She opened a portal into the Nevernever and disappeared from the material universe right as the first cars arrived.

o-0-o

Hermione prized herself with being the smartest student in her year, yet even she found herself unable to figure out what exactly happened in the Chamber of Secret. She knew that the bubbling idiot Lockhart was brought safely and that Ginny was rescued.

Beyond that? Everything was a mystery and nobody knew where Harry was. Her eyes flickered away from her textbook and to the form of Professor McGonagall stalking the class. The tensions in the movement of the old professor were impossible to miss.

She knows, yet doesn't want to talk, Hermione mused and then made a couple of notes about another use of transfiguration before once more returning to watching the professor. The tensions and something more were so visible it was painful not to notice them and Hermione wondered briefly how the rest of her classmates didn't see it.

She shrugged at the thought and then returned to her studies. Her attention focused on the book. She had an idea of what she wanted to check, but she needed to get to the library for that.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N – Another chapter done. I wanted it originally a bit shorter, but then the Gruff happened and it turned out into a very useful exposition. Normally I'm not fond of it, but it frankly was long overdue, even if it will make many of you frown in confusion.**

 **Read, enjoy and review. Seriously guys, reviews are what most of people here enjoys the most. So spoil us with them.**

 **o-0-o**

The White Court vampires were interesting and Harry tried to avoid openly glaring at them. They were drop dead gorgeous, yet the warning from Aurora was alive in his mind and he kept a wary eye on them.

He was aware that he was protected by his position, yet he still didn't like the gazes from some of them. He felt like he was a meal for them and that didn't make him comfortable. He slowly exhaled, his breath forming a small cloud, and then he reached for his sword. The metal was strangely comforting and providing him with a much needed confidence.

It had something strange to itself. It managed to keep him focused and banished any of the doubts he had. As well as push the emotions he sensed from the vamps aside. He didn't know if he was making it up or there were some enchantments on the blade that kept the influence of the vampires at bay.

He knew that the White Court was refined and the most reasonable of all, but he also knew that they also fed on other beings. An idea of being a meal for the predators of the supernatural world, even as pretty as those vampires, was not appealing to him and he preferred staying whole.

"You know that we prefer willing partners?" someone said and his head flew in the direction of the voice. Only to find Lara Raith smile of all things at him. "I can read your emotions and you seem afraid of our presence."

"You don't have the best track record," Aurora said coldly, a dagger in her hand. "I can and will skin you alive if you touch him."

"Peace," Sarissa said as she glared at Aurora. "Keep your emotions under control. She's not worth the trouble. And Lara is more than aware of how terribly ends feeding on a child of winter."

Lara felt silent and Harry smiled at her in triumph, enjoying this small victory he achieved over her.

o-0-o

I stumbled out of the Nevernever close to the Stonehenge and looked around. The sun was slowly rising, the last remnants of shadows being chased from between the stones. The golden light of the star and the energy of life flowing through the stones.

"Perfect," I muttered and Sirius looked at me. "The stones are full of magic and form a circle. Ideal place to summon beings of the Nevernever."

"They're not a circle now," Sirius pointed out and I smiled.

"The meaning is clear, they were a circle," I said and walked forward. "This place is too old and too powerful for the appearance to matter. As long as the intent and the belief is clear the circle will work."

Sirius frowned and I wasn't surprised by this. This group of the practitioners was a weird one. "How the beliefs and intent can make it work?"

"Magic," I said and slowly exhaled. "The magic I practice is a system based on emotions and beliefs. I believe strong enough." I scooped up a small stone from the ground and showed it to Sirius. "That thus is connected to one of the big pillars. I will be able to affect them."

"So if I made a doll of someone I hate and believed it is his representation I could hurt him?" Sirius asked with a mischievous look to his eyes.

"Voodoo," I said and smiled. "That's the basic principle of it. Pretty effective branch of magic, especially against big and nasty beings."

Sirius shuffled forward and I ignored him for a moment.

I wholly focused on the monument in front of me. The symbolism was important when summoning something as big and nasty as Mab and I didn't want to give her a single chance to break out of the circle.

She wasn't one of the really scary beings that could smash this world to atoms, but she was still dangerous enough. She had the power to kill me, all of my friends and everything in the radius of several dozen miles.

I opened my Sight and looked around, searching for the place where the druids and priests made offerings, summoned gods and played with magic. I could summon her standing anywhere else, but the symbolism wouldn't be as strong.

I stopped in the very same place as the priests of old. The sun was behind my back, its energy passing through me and then into the circle. I smiled and then moved my arm, the staff pointing towards the circle.

"Mab!" I called out. "Mab! I summon thee, Queen of Air and Darkness, I summon thee! Mab!"

At first nothing happened, but when I spoke her name for the third time a geyser of water shot into the sky and once the water was gone she was there. Her form motionless, yet her eyes were watching me and then they focused on Sirius.

A single smile appeared on her lips and then she nodded. "Good job," she said. "You found Sirius Black and brought him to me. Your task is completed and one of the favors you owe me is paid."

o-0-o

"What can you tell me about the White Court?" Harry asked in a murmur, his hand moving through Aurora's hair. "They seem interesting, in a strange way."

"The Raith's are," she agreed, kissing him softly. "Other families are less so. They feed on emotions, fear, desperation, anger or lust. Raith's are sex demons. They prey on lust and pleasure and sexual gratification and are masters of seducing their prey. In many cases their prey comes to them and wants to be fed upon."

Harry shuddered and then relaxed when Aurora moved closer to him. He wrapped his hand around her side and smiled, kissing her. "So, how can I protect myself?"

"Love," Aurora said with a grin. "It doesn't only mean sex, in fact sex isn't necessary for it. It means caring for each other, protecting each other and the emotional bond. Because you are with me, Lara Raith, or any other Raith can't feed on you unless you are willing to do it. If they force you to do it...imagine sulphuric acid poured onto their whole being until they back away."

"That's painful."

"That's so painful it can drive them insane and maim them for life," Aurora said and reached for a nearby goblet filled with watery wine. "Iron is a poison to fae, but if it is in small amounts we can cope with it and there are some amongst us who are immune to it. For the White Court it is much worse. Their inner demon howls in pain and their mind can't survive their beast howling. The bond between mind and the demon is a strange one, but one can't live without another and one can't survive the suffering of another."

"So since I'm with you and you protect me," Harry said with a sigh, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Why did Lara flirt with me and behaved as if she wanted to fuck me?"

"Because she is a scheming politician," Aurora grinned. "She knows that you impregnating her would unsettle you. Make you easy to control and guide. Her power is weak now, she's the strongest White Court vampire out there, but not as strong as a Queen ought to be. She wants to fully remove her father out of the equation, but lacks the muscle to do so."

"So she is here to gain power or at least not lose any," Harry said and looked at Aurora fondly. "And she wants me," he whispered kissing Aurora.

"Yes."

Harry sipped wine from his goblet and considered what he knew, what he suspected and what Aurora knew. The White Court was always scheming, no matter the time nor the world at large. It was always the most deceitful Court of all, easily blending in with humans and finally it was possibly the most dangerous.

"They're not the most dangerous," Aurora said and Harry looked at her. "They want to make you believe they are such. The Black used to be, but Stoker in the nineteenth century was used by the Whites to see them die. The Red has more mortal muscles and holdings, while Black has more magical muscles."

"So, how did the Whites managed to do it?" Harry frowned. "They are outgunned and outnumbered."

"Data and favors," Aurora said with a sigh. "What did I teach you about knowledge?"

"It is more valuable than gold," Harry said with a grin.

"You're smart," Aurora said and gave him a look. "Tell me, what does it mean for the White Court?"

"That while they lack the manpower, they have knowledge and know how to use it the most efficiently."

The sly smile and a purr was all Harry got before Aurora pressed against him and kissed him fiercely. "You are learning well, my love," she whispered between one kiss and another.

o-0-o

Lara Raith was a woman, err, a being that saw many gods and other rulers and they didn't scare her. Even tho Mab managed to send across a message that she was dangerous, scary and shouldn't be underestimated.

"Your Majesty," Lara said, forcing some of her usual seductive tones into her voice. "I come here to negotiate in the name of my father, the White King."

Mab regarded her coldly, the two trolls to her sides tensed and ready to attack. Winter was a logical place where passions ran high, but logic was above it and Mab had centuries of experience in negotiations. Lara glanced at her own bodyguards, her sisters and with a single gesture ordered them to stand down.

"We suggest an agreement of non-aggression and trade," Lara said and a flicker of smile passed across her features when she saw Mab's eyes narrow for a second. "My father and I want the power of the Red Court broken or reduced, a thing you also want and we believe we can gain from this arrangement, Your Majesty."

Mab leaned back in her throne and waved her hand. The two trolls relaxed and moved back. "Lady Raith, what do I gain from this arrangement? I can stop fighting my sister and allow her to freely take to the field against the Kukulkan and she will kill him... in three months."

Lara allowed herself to smile, the expression normally making humans drop to their knees and behave like mindless drones. "You could, Your Majesty," she said and the smile grew. "But we know that you don't want him destroyed. Not yet, at least. You want him weakened and forced to negotiate with the Council so that when Fomor come his court is able to provide armies to our cause."

Mab nodded and her eyes flickered, the color slightly shifting. "Yes," she said, her manicured fingers moving along the ice of her throne and leaving deep grooves behind. "I want that. The question is, how can you, lady Raith, help me achieve that goal with this agreement."

"Courts have information on each other," Lara said and paused. "Our strongholds, our weaknesses, our command structure and so on. I can arrange for some of it to be leaked to the White Council, but for a price."

"Everything has a price," Mab said her eyes a pair of emeralds. "Speak yours."

Lara smirked and then looked at Mab. "We, the White Court, are vain creatures that love pleasures of flesh and mind." She focused on her inner demon and her eyes became glossy as her skin started to shine. "What I want is a single favor."

Mab's eyes narrowed into slits that blazed with fire. The only evidence of her temper running high. "You have the gal, vampire," she said after a moment. "To demand favors, expensive commodity, but so is your contribution."

Lara smiled and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, I only ask for what is fair and what is beneficial for both of us."

o-0-o

Sirius Black looked around the suite he was given. It was far bigger than what he was used to and the servants were all waiting for his summon to fulfill whatever were his wishes. He picked a goblet from a table standing by the window and looked out.

He was close to the top of the central spire of the fortress. Dozens of smaller towers and buildings attached to it like parasites. All of them were made out of the strange ice and stone he was seeing everywhere. Blue in color and perfectly smooth, yet glowing with all of the colors of the aurora borealis.

"It certainly is more comfortable than Azkaban," he said sipping the strange mead. "At least there are no dementors and I can do whatever I want."

His gaze slipped across the towers and towards the massive walls of the fortress. They looked more like a feature of the landscape, so massive that one could mistake them for hills. They too were made out of the same strange stone and ice. Atop them dozens of smaller towers and between them Sirius could see sentinels walk.

He was used to Hogwarts with all of its beauty and power, but this fortress was different. Hogwarts was a school first and foremost. This was a fortress and the seat of power of Mab, the being he didn't want to underestimate nor did he want her displeased. If the fortress was to anything to go by, her powers were uncountable and her servants were legion. A thing that bode badly for those wanting to attack her.

"Welcome, Lord Black," someone said and he smiled when he saw Sarissa enter the room. "I hope that your stay here is pleasant."

"Yes, it is," Sirius said with a smile. "When will I be able to see my godson?"

"Soon," Sarissa said and then smiled. "I have an offer for you, from Her Majesty."

"Go on," Sirius said, sitting down in one of the armchairs by a window. "She saved me from the class of the dementors and that is the least I can do for her."

"Her offer is simple, your fealty and loyalty, in exchange for access to the resources of Winter and unlimited access to your godson. The last one of course once you are mentally and physically ready for it." Sirius wanted to protest, but paused when Sarissa looked at him. "I studied enough about medicine to know when you need rest and peace. So listen to me on those matters."

"What would Her Majesty gain from this arrangement?" Sirius asked and laughed, the noise barking and reminding very much of a dog. "Even if I behave like a fool, I can see a deal where one side gains everything and second almost nothing."

Sarissa inclined her head in agreement and then smiled. "We believe that you and your house can be of use to Winter, you know the British society of practitioners or what you call wizards and know how to deal with them. The knowledge we might suddenly discover much more important than before."

"And you want me to back you," Sirius said and then frowned. "Her Majesty won't tell me how am I supposed to deal with my lovely cousins or any other family member?"

"No, we won't care about that," Sarissa said and Sirius' face was almost split by his smile.

"I will be willing to swear those oaths."

"Perfect, Lord Black," Sarissa said with a slight curtsy. "In two weeks time you will be asked to swear those oaths. Until then, enjoy our hospitality."

o-0-o

When Harry once more descended into the dungeons Duddley changed and Harry smiled when his cousin. They weren't really cousins, but habits were dying hard. Looked changed and maybe even apologetic.

A thing Harry never ever expected to see from Petunia or Vernon. Their hate of him too big to be changed, yet for their son there was a sliver of hope. A small one, but it was there, a thing they didn't have.

"So, Duddley," Harry spoke, his voice smooth and strangely pleasant. "Did you think about what I wanted you to think?"

"I did," Duddley said, his beady eyes focused on Harry. "What I did towards you wasn't the best," he said and swallowed. "But the parents encouraged me to do it."

Harry's smile was cold and could froze lakes, a thing with his Unseelie heritage quite possible, but then it warmed up and he nodded. "So I noticed," he said and paused. "I am still unhappy with you and you won't get out of dungeons soon," he said and Duddley shrunk, hiding even more in the corner. "But it won't be this dreadful place, the guards will show you your new apartment, if it can be called that."

Harry smiled seeing Duddley brighten, his cousin after faced with very bad and almost impossible to survive odds knew how to survive and change. Maybe trading him to a Sidhe noble for a favor or two would not be necessary or at least not to one that would torture and maim him.

o-0-o

Harry let out a hiss as he rolled away. Spikes of metal leaving grooves in the ice where he was seconds ago. The next strike crashed onto his shield and the strength pushed him back.

Aurora was not going easy on and her strikes were vicious and only a single moment of his distraction could end with him maimed. Harry narrowed his eyes as the whip hissed through the air and then he moved.

His shield caught the strike and sent it aside before he made a single step and then struck at her. His sword breaking through her defense and leaving a grazing hit against her armor. It was not enough to destroy it. But the shockwave went through it and into her body, making her shudder and lose her balance for a second.

"You seem to be learning," Aurora smirked and then a dagger flickered out of her hand. "But not fast enough."

Harry screamed and moved his head out of the way. The dagger instead of hitting him in the eye carved a long cut through his cheek. "You weren't supposed to try to kill me!"

"Love, pain and risk of death will motivate you," Aurora said as she hurled two more. "Yes, they are all sharp."

Harry shuddered and deflected the first one with his sword. Second slammed into his shield. Punched it and stopped inside of his arm. A cry ripped out of his throat. Then stopped when Aurora's whip slammed into his shield, the spikes caught onto the dagger and then she yanked it back.

The force threw him onto his back and Harry started to see stars in front of his eyes. The pain was overwhelming and he paled when he saw Aurora reach for the next daggers.

He rolled to the side. The pain in his arm the lesser issue than the fifteen inches long shard of enchanted silver ready to hit him.

Ice exploded in a spray of shards in front of him.

His eyes widened when he saw the dagger lodge itself in the ice so close to him that he could see it move.

Clenching his teeth he got up and yanked the whip back. Aurora let out a yelp of surprise, but then she let go off it and it smashed into Harry's face.

"That's enough," Syd said, stepping in. "Harry's a mess and you are drained, Aurora."

Harry nodded, spitting blood mixed with saliva onto the floor. A dagger was deep inside of his arm, a warm trickle of blood flowing down the sleeve of his shirt. Harry grimaced at it and wondered if he couldn't tear it out, but then he remembered that there were miniscule thorns along the edge. Removal of the blade was a long and painful process even with a skilled healer getting it out.

"You are mean," Harry said as he wiped the blood flowing down his face. "Those daggers, only my sister can pull them out."

"You could pull it out," Aurora said with a smirk. "But it would end badly."

An hour later Harry hissed as he watched scissors cut through his armor and the leather he wore underneath it. The amount of violet and red swollen spots that were on his skin was disturbing. The pain was a distant thing when the adrenaline coursed through his veins. Now, now it was a more real thing.

"And you are too stubborn for me to give you something for pain," Sarissa said and plucked without any mercy a shard of metal that embedded in his shoulder. A trickle of blood flowed out, but she ignored it and kept on cutting through the metal and leather. "Be happy that you can feel something in the hand."

"Poison," Harry said and winced as he looked at the bloody mess. "I know that the spikes in the whip have some."

"And she scratched you once or twice," Sarissa said and gave him a look. "Do you remember the slightly brown edge of the spikes?" Harry nodded and Sarissa smiled. "Resin, it is poisonous and in smaller amounts can cause nausea and migraine."

"Not enough to be noticed," Harry muttered as he leaned back on the cot and sighed. "But enough for her to finish the duel."

Sarissa nodded and then gently started to work on the dagger, trying to ease it out. "I will need to have a talk with her. The hooks or thorns they have are too big of a risk in a spar," she said and as she tugged at it and Harry yelled in pain. "They are hard to remove and I know what they are. Every other healer will assume it is a simple, straight blade."

"I guess," Harry said through his clenched teeth. "Just take it out."

Sarissa nodded and then yanked it out of the wound. He let out a roar of pain and then it came out. Blood gushing out of the wound as if a plug holding the dam together was pulled out. Before much could spill, Sarissa wrapped it in bandage.

The cloth was soaked in a mixture of drugs, potions and some other things. It didn't smell the most pleasantly, but it did stop the bleeding fast. She tied it around the wound and then looked at the rest of scratches, swellings, cuts and other wounds all over Harry's chest and arms.

"You really got battered," Sarissa commented and then looked at the scraps of his armor laying on the cot. "The armor is a mess, too."

Harry glanced at the ripped at torn mail, a pang of guilt appearing in his mind and then shook his head. "Aurora used magic to enhance her strikes. The armor, I thought it would survive such attacks."

"The armor that has magic woven into its structure will survive such strikes," Sarissa said and then shook her head. "The one you used doesn't have the necessary magic." She the smiled sadly. "I needed to cut it to actually get to the wounds you have. And there is no magic that can survive against the Unraveling."

Harry hissed at the name and moved away in visible fear.

Sarissa's eyes narrowed dangerously as she looked at him. "Harry?"

"It's not me," he said, his voice shaken and scared. "Something else acted... I don't know what."

"I'm sorry for what I'm about to do," Sarissa said as magic gathered around her.

"What..."

Harry was unable to finish the sentence as the ice grew from everywhere around him. Before he could do as much as move the tendrils of the substance were wrapping around his limbs and torso. Moments later he was wholly covered in ice that was inert to his magic and ignored his attempts of breaking the bonds.

o-0-o

Mab looked at the ice sculpture holding her son and then diverted her angry gaze towards Sarissa. "Explain," she hissed in a voice that would make human ears explode. "What made you turn him into an ice sculpture?"

"There is some parasite inside of him," Sarissa said and then glanced at the sculpture. "One of magic."

Mab wanted to strike down Sarissa, but then approached the icy form and touched it carefully. "How?" she asked.

"That's not a question I can answer, mother," Sarissa said with sadness flowing from her voice and body language. "It isn't a spirit of knowledge, but something more malign and evil."

"A shard of some human soul," Mab said and her eyes darkened. "I thought that the White God was smart... " She shook her head in disgust. "The magic to do it must have come from the Outside."

"The White God?" Sarissa frowned. "Why would you blame him?"

"He was the one that created the humanity," Mab said with a shrug of anger and indifference. "The humanity that somehow was at some point corrupted by the Outside. It isn't the same thing as That, but is close."

"Can you heal him?"

"Only if he wishes for it." Mab sent her magic into the ice and it started to shift and change. "The damage is not as extensive as the Enemy makes it and is focused in one place. And it revealed itself too soon for it to truly do major damage."

"He was weakened from the loss of blood and poison Aurora uses on her weapons."

"And the thing assumed it could leap when he was weakened," Mab said with a malign look to her eyes. "One that is responsible for it won't die any time soon. I need a new toy as Slate is getting boring."

"Tracking him down will be hard, almost impossible," Sarissa commented, an edge of caution to her voice. "We have nothing that could be used to connect whatever it is nestled in Harry's head to its owner."

"We have nothing," Mab agreed and looked at Harry's frozen form. "But it is a matter of time before whatever it is that is in Harry will be removed and our agents can learn of the cause of this. Now we only need to wait and let his defeat it."

"How soon should he be healed?"

"In a matter of days or weeks at worst," Mab said and then regarded her son with a cool gaze. "Sooner if he fights it as strongly as he can. I know he hates being trapped and he will do all he can do to break the ice and creature's hold of his body's."

o-0-o

Court of Titania was a treacherous place, as was any faerie court, but after being for so long amongst the fae and their Sidhe nobility Elaine knew how to navigate it and how to avoid falling for the most obvious traps. Here she was also under protection of Titania and even if she saw hungry gazes of some more wild nobles, they stopped when they landed on Fix who shadowed her.

Court of Mab resided in a single, massive fortress carved out of ice and stone in places where human body would freeze in a manner of minutes. Court of Titania was its opposite wild, vibrant, rich with energy and life, made out of dozens of open, silk pavillons with beings moving from one to another as they pleased.

"Do you think it is necessary to speak to him?" Fix asked quietly and Elaine shot him a questioning gaze. "I admire his wisdom, but do we need his help?"

"Yes," Elaine said and sighed, worry appearing on her face. "The stakes are high here. I watched your duel with him and the other three Sidhe. Tell me, would Mab be willing to use her own daughter and two high ranking members of her court to protect him if she didn't think the stakes were high?"

"No, I guess not," Fix said and Elaine allowed herself a smile.

"Exactly," she said as she passed between a pair of minotaurs guarding an entrance into a tent set aside and surrounded by a thick forest. "We need information and I won't dare to venture into Winter. Not with what I saw with my scrying happening. Mab is throwing a lot of power into protecting her domain and after those Red Courts raids I doubt I could slip through the guards."

"What informations do you need, young one?" someone asked and Elaine looked around, her eyes quickly getting accustomed to the dim light in the pavillion. After few seconds she managed to find the relatively diminutive being, barely five feet tall and with a set of massive horns on his head, more of his features hidden by the brown robe and cowl.

"Sidhe of Winter," she said and then added, picking her words carefully. "Her Majesty tasked me with investigating the rumored son of Mab. I discovered what I could and learned what was possible, as well as found some of his hair and blood. Alas, more is beyond my reach. He is safely hidden in the land of Winter and spying on him would be a foolhardy idea, Red Court tried the same and they already lost several nobles."

"You are of course aware that this is a knowledge I cannot share cheaply?"

Elaine winced at this, remembering how precious was knowledge to any fae, those old and powerful even more. But her options were limited and she didn't have any other good and reliable source of information. Queens knew what she wanted to get, but their cooperation would be even more expensive to acquire. A favor owed to the Eldest Gruff, a champion and advisor of Titania, opposed to a favor owed to Titania was a lesser burden and less dangerous too.

"We can bargain," Elaine said with a smile and pulled out the small pouch with the blood and hair she gathered. "Inside of this you can find dried blood and hair of Harry Potter. A thing that is of some value."

Eldest Gruff's eyes shone and then a smile appeared on his face. "Yes, yes," he said, his hand slowly stroking his beard. "That is a thing of some value and of a great potential. But also comes with a great price. If Mab knew of its existence, her forces would be storming Summer this very moment."

"Yet she doesn't know and I'm sure that you can use it well," Elaine said and then smiled brightly. "Will it be a sufficient payment for the knowledge I seek to find?"

"I believe so," the Eldest Gruff said and shot a look at Fix. "Leave us, Knight," he ordered. "You are forced to report to your mistress everything you see and hear and that is not a thing I appreciate."

Fix wanted to protest, but after a second wavered and nodded, leaving the two alone.

"Sit." The Eldest Gruff reached for a comfortable armchair and sat down before looking at a similar one. "This will take a long while."

Elaine nodded and sat, facing the Eldest Gruff and feeling his power and might. A thing she didn't want to see unleashed. She knew that she was powerful, not as powerful as her ex, but still a powerful wizard with few decades of experience. Alas, against the Eldest Gruff she didn't stand a chance.

"So the Unseelie," he said quietly, forcing her to strain her hearing. "The fae of Winter, ruled by the Queen of Air and Darkness. Our ancient enemies and the guardians of the Outer Gates. The things I can tell you about them are Legion and would take a decade, if I wished to tell you everything."

Elaine swallowed and then considered her words. Thinking how to put into sentences what she wanted to discover. "The son of Mab, can you tell me if he really is her son and who is his father?"

"I can tell you if he is her son," the Eldest Gruff said and then took the bag from her, opened it and inspected the hair inside. "As for his father. I am unsure. All I can tell you that Mab laid with someone old and powerful. Someone who is as powerful, if not more powerful than a Queen of the Fae."

Elaine frowned, gears of her mind working as she mulled over the Gruff said. The Fae couldn't lie, but they didn't need to be fully honest either. A thing that made them devilishly dangerous and treating with one was a game. So he knows, but doesn't want to tell me, she mused and then hid those thoughts. A calm smile on her face. "So the Eldest, can you tell me more about the one with whom Mab laid when their son was conceived?"

"He is powerful and ancient... As ancient as the Fae. He is bright and is like a day, strong at noon, weak at midnight. His names and titles are legion."

Elaine's eyebrow rose in question. The description was puzzling and mysterious. More mysterious than she expected it. Ancient beings that were as old as the Fae, that was narrowing it down to some half forgotten monstrosities and a lot of various deities. She frowned at the word bright, something sounded familiar about it, yet she couldn't quite guess it.

"I think that I won't ask more questions about his father," she conceded and then moved onto another thing she thought was important. "He is a scion of two immortal beings and has heritage both from his maternal and paternal line. I never found such a case in the scrolls and books I studied..."

"Because such cases are extremely rare," the Gruff cut in. "During the whole length of my life maybe there were few dozen such beings. All of them had a short and interesting life and tended to cause chaos wherever they went. Much like the starborn." He smiled and Elaine felt a shiver pass down her spine. "However beyond that, I can't tell what his powers will be or how significant. The bloodlines of his are strong, but oft strong bloodlines had weak offsprings."

"So until he comes into his powers, a thing that can take centuries we can only guess what kind of a being he will be," Elaine said and pursed her lips. "The starborn, what are they?"

Gruff's eyes shone with some curiosity and then his lips moved, forming a predatory smile. "You don't know. Do you?"

"Know what?"

"That you are one of them," he said and looked into her eyes. "Born when the stars were align and the magic was strong. Those of the Outside fear you for a reason, alas that is not a part of our bargain."

Elaine sighed and made a note to research the term before looking at the Gruff. New questions and ideas forming in her mind. "Mab has a vested interest in her son," she said and Gruff nodded in encouragement. "What can she do to protect him and to give him more power? Power he could use to defend himself."

"Craft a mantle. Such a thing would take weeks of rituals and preparations and would not be done without a blood sacrifice, but is a possibility," Gruff said and closed his eyes. "Samhain or better known to you as All Hallows' Eve would be a perfect moment for such a ritual. Stars and planets in proper alignment, the Nevernever at its peak and the Table deep in the land of Winter."

"But won't crafting another mantle unsettle the balance and make the power shift in favor of Winter? Giving even more assets and power to Mab's court."

"Not necessarily," the Gruff said and then his piercing eyes bore into hers. "Remember, young one, that mantles are made as the Queens need them. However such a deed is unlikely, Mab is not an insane being and doesn't want to feed the fires between the Courts. She will do what she thinks is needed, but won't go to such an extreme."

Elaine let out a sigh of relief and then got up. Bowing to the Eldest Gruff. "Thank you for your advise, the Eldest," she said and then retreated out of the tent. The moment she was out she found Fix looking at her.

"Do you have whatever you need?" he asked, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword. His form was relaxed, yet she could see the limp he was trying to hide. That dagger must have hurt him.

"Yes," she said, her eyes gleaming. "Not as much as I wished for. But enough to know where to look next."

"And where that is?"

"The Court of the Erlking," she said and saw Fix look at her in worry. "Lord Herne the Hunter is an ally of Winter, but also one that owes some favors to our lady. He ought to know what is happening at the court of Arctis Tor and at the same time not be wanting to throw us into a dungeon or kill."

"He is a dangerous being," Fix warned. "Not a kind of being I can defeat, especially not in his realm. If we get in troubles, I won't pull us out."

"I know," Elaine said and sighed. "But this or going into the land of Winter and sneaking into the Tor? With all of the myriad spies and assassins Mab has on her payroll following us? I prefer to Deal with the goblins and elves. At least they can be reasoned with. Mab, less so."

Fix conceded the point and fell silent. Following her towards a glade where she should be able to open a portal to where they needed to go.

o-0-o

Daphne Greengrass was an unremarkable second year member of the Slytherin house, or at least everybody assumed that she was unremarkable. Those more in the know were aware of the fact that she was a person that was as far from unremarkable as possible. It was true that she was a member of the house snake, but she was also an agent of Lara Raith.

One of the two agents of the Raith's. Second was Blaise Zabini, member of the same house and of the same year. The work for the White Court was relatively safe and came with high rewards. Rewards her foolish dad was unaware of, as he was unaware of so much more.

The hefty amounts of money that each month appeared in a private vault, she only knew how to access were one thing. Access to the perks that any higher ranking member of the Raith household could have was another and a very pleasant one.

She shook her head and banished those distractions before looking at Hermione. That bushy girl was smart and dangerous given time. Very dangerous. She was not from a family with traditions and honor.

She was new to the world and her view of many things wasn't biased and more importantly she wasn't scary of using her brain. A trait that now greatly annoyed Daphne. Almost whole student body was unaware of where Harry Potter really was or who was his mother.

A state the House of Raith wanted maintained. The Red Court didn't need to know much, nor did it need to discover this particular tidbit of information. Daphne suspected who was a spy of the Reds and Blaise agreed with her on that. If the agent of Reds was from a different house than Hermione it would be all fine, but no. He needed to be in her year.

"That can get troublesome, really fast," Daphne murmured, sipping her pumpkin juice and looking at Blaise. "I didn't have an opportunity to take a good look at what she was researching, but I'm sure it was related to Lord Herne."

Blaise paled before his self-control won and the he swallowed. "And from Lord Herne leap to Queen of Air and Darkness is not a big one."

"Quite so," Daphne smiled, her expression warm and charming. "What did she tell you about what we should do?"

"Don't act unless forced to," Blaise said and then a frown of worry flickered across his dark skin. "She also wants to keep an eye on the Reds."

"Can you charm your way into Hermione's friends?" Daphne asked and seeing him arch his eyebrow, she shrugged, looking across the whole of the Great Hall. The loud and joyous atmosphere was surprising, considering the events from just few weeks and the exams starting in a day. "We need her discouraged or directed away from the troublesome ideas she can come up with."

"I could," Blaise said and winced. "If she had any interest in any kind of a relationship or friendship. Alas, I doubt she's interested in anything beyond her precious books and sucking up to the professors."

"Poison time then," Daphne said and saw Blaise smirk. His mother was known as a Black Widow and had a reputation not many wanted to test. Not to mention that she was a high-ranking member of the Raith Household, she was not a vampire, but in the inner circle of the ruling branch. "We have two choices. Hermione or our pet spy."

"Her poisoned would make people ask questions," Blaise said and sighed. "As much as I would love to poison her because she's a predictable and easy target... It is a bad idea. Really bad."

"So prim and proper that she has no jealous boyfriend or lovers. No real quarrel with Snape. Nothing."

Blaise smiled, his smile predatory before hiding it behind a goblet with pumpkin juice. "Quite so, while Dean Thomas is a person that's disliked by Snape. Snape who will be more than willing to play to Lara's tune. After all he knows what protects his head from being severed by a sword of a Warden."

"Lara's money and his relative usefulness to her cause," Daphne said and hurriedly finished her lunch. "Approach Professor and ask him if he couldn't arrange for Mr Thomas to suffer an accident in class. Nothing permanent, but few weeks of recovery time."

She then got up and joined the stream of students flowing out of the hall and towards their classrooms.

o-0-o

Aurora sighed as she looked at the frozen form of her lover. She was worried that he would not recover and that he would forever remain in this form. No matter how much she pretended that what she was doing was an assignment from Mab, one she needed to carry out, she started to feel emotions towards him.

Emotions more refined and powerful than simple lust and hunger. She was growing attached to him and no matter how much he irritated her at times with his crass attitude and lack of knowledge she liked him. He was not she dreamed of, but there was something special in him and he was friendly, talkative and blunt. A thing that was so much different from the usual sidhe that she found it extremely pleasant.

"He will recover soon," someone said, when she looked in the direction of the voice she saw Obsydian walk towards her. His trademark massive sword slung across his back and helmet hanging from his belt. "I spoke with Lady Sarissa and she said that his spirit is fighting the parasite."

Aurora got up from the cot and then approached Syd. "I know," she whispered, placing her head against his broad chest, some tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. "I know, brother, just I'm worried. Worried that he won't wake up."

Syd placed his hand on her back and held her close. "Give him time," he murmured. "Harry is strong and stubborn. All he needs is time and will. First he has plenty of, second he has even more of."

Aurora smiled weakly, letting her emotions show as she softly sobbed. Her tears rushing down her cheeks and then Syd's armor. "I want him now," she sobbed. "Not some time in the future."

Syd smiled and embraced her, letting her release her emotions as he kept her safe. "I know, I know, sister."

o-0-o

Harry groaned as he finally shoved whatever that was aside and regained control over his body. Being frozen in an ice cage, his movements wholly restricted, unable to even blink was painful and frustrating beyond any imagination.

But the very same frustration and irritation he had was a thing he channeled towards shoving the parasite out of his body. He previously thought that he knew his limits, but when faced with the abomination wanting his body his resolve and power grew and he banished it.

The ice trapping him was an issue and the biggest one. However as he was about to flex his magical muscles and smash it aside Sarissa entered the room and seeing his magic flaring approached him.

"It's alright, Harry," she whispered in soothing voice, her hands moving into the ice and unmaking the magic holding it. The moment he was freed his whole body shuddered as he flexed and stretched his muscles. "We trapped you in ice to give you the power to kill it," she murmured and smiled. Her hand touching his scar, a trickle of blood flowing from it. "You did it."

Harry smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "For a moment I felt as if I would be unable to do it."

"But you did it," Sarissa said and smiled. "Rest and once you wake up, Aurora will want to see you. She was quite worried for you."

Harry nodded and the moment he rested his head against the pillow he was fast asleep.

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N:**

 **Reviews:**

 _KX_ – that is a very fair point and under normal circumstances they would have scoured the area for any such bits. But here they were in hurry. Beating Fix or at least making him go away means that Gruffs would come next and that's a thing they wouldn't like to face. Especially the Eldest Gruff, he is a guy that killed several Senior Council members and that means power.

Calculated risk is better than staying for some time and getting caught with pants down. Hair and blood mean a lot of bad things for Harry, but he is also one of those few beings that can survive some meaner spells done with it. If he was a mortal, he would have been screwed, but Fae can do a bit more and you would need to be backed into a corner to target him. Remember, Mab is watching and her memory is long.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N – Another chapter, steamy bits were supposed to be some time ago, but wanted to develop the bond they share and to show other events. This chapter shakes the world for some groups and some characters step out of the shadows making the already complicated politics even worse.**

 **o-0-o**

Severus Snape is scary, Blaise decided looking at the bat-like Potion Master. There was something dangerous and predatory about that man, something that Blaise couldn't quite name. He swallowed and then mustered his courage. "Professor, could I ask you for a favor in the name of the House of Raith?"

Snape regarded him coldly for few precious seconds and then his lips curled into an unpleasant smile. "What favor?"

"An accident," Blaise said and smiled. "One of the second year Gryffindors is annoying and might learn a thing or two. A thing or two Lady Raith would like to keep hidden. Not to mention that the Queen of Air and Darkness would be most displeased if such knowledge was to pass into her enemies."

"I see. I believe that it will be in my power to ensure that he no longer is a threat."

Blaise nodded in thanks and then pulled out a small vial. "I would suggest using something based off this toxin," he said, passing it onto Snape. "I used it as a base for the last sleep potion he got and it knocked him out quite nicely."

Snape snatched the vial, opened it and sniffed it content before arching a single eyebrow. "How many people did you want to kill?" he asked and looked at the translucent liquid inside. "Venom of a viper from the heart of Red Court domains?"

"I keep it as an emergency," Blaise said and shrugged. "Mother gave it to me if I ever needed to make sure something stays dead. After all we know that some things don't want to die and those on a payroll of courts are usually tutored on basic poisons, venons and antidotes to them. Killing those of the Winter and Summer can be an extremely tedious thing as their magic keeps them alive."

"While this venom negates any such abilities," Snape said and looked at the vial. "And as a base in small quantities it can affect the potency of any potion." He smiled and looked at Blaise. "Ten points for clever potion brewing."

Blaise smiled and bowed his head before slipping out of the quarters of the Potion Master. That was a task well done and now he could return to more pleasant duties and activities. Then he groaned, he forgot that an essay was due tomorrow and getting onto the bad side of a professor was a bad thing for him.

The less attention he was getting, the better it was for him. And the less he needed to fret about someone stumbling upon the evidence suggesting that he was a spy. Then his life would get way too interesting and dangerous for his liking.

He winced as he slipped into a shadow, barely avoiding getting discovered by the Twins. They were awful bullies and he tried to limit the time they saw each other, even if it meant less data for him.

Stumbling out he hurried to his dorm and the homework awaiting him.

o-0-o

"He did recover," Sarissa said succinctly to Mab as both stood on a balcony jutting out of the tallest spire of the fortress. "He is weakened and hungry like a wolf, but that was expected."

"You did good, daughter of mine," Mab said and then her eyes darkened. "Do you think that his father leave him with any gifts and abilities?"

Sarissa arched an eyebrow in question. Then frowned and nodded. "He did," she said and pursed her lips. "Good thing is that most of them amplified some of the traits he has from you and the rest is so weak as of now that they can't be easily noticed. Not unless you look for them."

"That is acceptable," Mab muttered, gaze of her eyes running towards the horizon. "He will need to be presented to the court, allies and vassals. Soon."

Sarissa inhaled sharply. "That is a risky move, he isn't ready and isn't strong enough to impress nobles."

"He made the Knight back off," Mab pointed out. "That is something, even if he was aided by Aurora and Syd in the actual fighting. It is still something that is respected." She then smiled coldly. "Not many of my servants can say that they made the Knight back off."

Sarissa nodded and then mulled over it. She saw that fight with her own eyes before deciding to act. It was vicious, brutal and Fix indeed backed off after four to one odds, but before them he seemed to be toying with Harry and Aurora. "He forced the Knight to back off," Sarissa said with a nod. "But I partially believe that the Knight was there to test them. Test them and their behavior."

"My daughter, you're overthinking the behavior of the Summer. In their behavior there is less reason and logic than there is emotions. Testing them with a Knight would have been the approach of Winter, not of them." A thunder rolled over their heads and then Mab continued. "While they are as clever and dangerous as we are, they are less organized, calculating and cold. You assume too much of them and their behaviors, you don't know them as well as I do and while there is some kind of a chance they do something like this, it is such a miniscule one... It is such a miniscule one that unless they're affected by the Enemy they won't do it."

"I see," Sarissa said and then curtsied. "It will be as you say mother."

"I don't want you as a mindless drone," Mab said and then her lips quirked into a smile. "A mindless drone and one that tells me the version of truth that I want to hear is not a thing I desire. I have more than enough of such beings in the countless courtiers that do whatever it takes to please me."

"Than perhaps, Mother, you would listen to my opinion that all the Knight did was gauge his skills or allow someone else to do it."

Mab's cold gaze settled on Sarissa, who didn't even flinch at the look that sent dozens of other fae screaming in fear. "I think that you might be onto something," she said and then looked at the surrounding mountains. "And I believe it is a good time for you to visit our dear Lord Herne and remind him that he owes his loyalty to the Winter and that I will be displeased if he thinks about treason."

"I believe that the Hunter knows who is the person with the bigger cookie jar," Sarissa said and then frowned. "But we do need more workers and Lord Herne was always reliable one."

Mab's eyes flashed dangerously. "Having him raid the holdings of the Red Court and steal their cattle would be a thing that would let him enjoy himself and get us the workers."

"I was thinking to test Harry with this one, let him ride with the Wild Hunt," Sarissa said. "He needs to make the connections and Lord Herne won't respect him until he rides in the Hunt."

Mab's eyebrow arched. "He won't respect him, aye, but for now letting him ride in that thing is not a risk I can accept. He needs to grow in power and knowledge, the energies and magic will make him drunk on power and that's dangerous for any Sidhe."

"And even more dangerous for a scion of a god," Sarissa said and pursed her lips. "His father never was a reasonable one, he was always emotional one."

"Which is why I won't allow him to ride in the Hunt, not yet," Mab said and then her eyes flickered to the distant forest as her teeth appeared in a predatory smile. "Seems that Elaine Mallory is trying to spy on us, she just crossed the border of the domain of the Erlking."

"She is nosy. And clever."

"Too clever for her own good. I think that she asked the Gruff for information and then guessed that Herne will be willing to listen to her."

Sarissa nodded. "If you allow mother, I should leave and talk with our vassal and remind him of his duties."

o-0-o

Elaine looked warily at the pair of goblins that followed her. Their predatory and dangerous looks didn't put her at ease, even if she claimed the guest rights and Fix was next to her. His massive sword resting against his shoulder, ready to defend her. The domain of the Erlking was a dangerous one, his subjects known for violence and aggression.

"You know that guest rights are sacred," Fix murmured and she nodded. "He can't break them and we are safe."

"Safe from his actions," Elaine pointed out coldly and then placed her hand on her wand. "The servants of Winter have no such bounds."

"They won't attack you, milady," the Erlking said and Elaine wasn't sure if she wanted to trust him. "In my domain, my word is law and even my liege won't dare to do something that insults me. I am the lord of goblins and we aren't oath breakers."

Elaine nodded and then looked at the throne of the Erlking, massive stone chair that seemed to glow with its magic. She shook her head briefly and then looked at the Wyldfae. "My Lord, I come here seeking knowledge..."

"I know what knowledge you come seeking," the Erlking interrupted her roughly. "About that spawn of Mab and the Greek deity. Everybody is seeking answers and knowledge about it. You're not the first, nor the last one I'll see wanting those answers."

Elaine sputtered and looked at him in shock. "Greek deity?"

"Yes," the Erlking said and shrugged, his massive shoulders rolling impatiently. "He is his father. The Greeks have issues holding themselves away from laying with women or men and another bastard was a matter of time."

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"The Greek gods, the Olympians, you know from your myths and legends are as insatiable and hedonistic as they were portrayed in them. Maybe even more so. Zeus, Posejdon, Apollo, Ares and several more sired dozens of immortal or mortal scions. Some of them killed gods, some monsters and some were warriors and conquerors, but all were powerful and able to change the world."

Elaine frowned and then mulled over what the Eldest Gruff said. Identity of Harry's father was now so obvious. "My lord, is he truly immortal and a god like them or is he a mortal?"

"That will only time tell and his actions more than anything. He has the possibility opened to him," the Erlking said and then shrugged. "But not many scions want to ascent to godhood so fast. It limits what they can do and how they can act in a considerate manner. They gain power, but lose much of the free will they enjoy as something between." The Erlking smiled wolfishly. "He is a Sidhe, first and foremost, he is vain, dangerous, cruel, deceitful, ambitious and backstabbing. His father's family is the same, less cruel and deceitful, but even more ambitious and dangerous and not straying from fratricide if needed."

Elaine shuddered, blood draining from her face as realization slowly hit her. She of course knew what a Sidhe was capable of, however hearing it from someone who was much older, much, much more powerful and knowledgeable than her had some sobering effect.

"I have no interest in getting you killed," the Erlking said and then shifted. "Your mistress called upon the favors I owe her and made me tell you what you need. So treat what I just said as a warning. He is not a cute, innocent child he pretends to be. He can and will slit your throat if he thinks it is beneficial to him or if he thinks it is fun. Unseelie are dangerous, milady, extremely dangerous. As they age their instincts and urges are more restrained and honed, replaced by the cold and rational logic, but the young ones are aggressive, dangerous, insatiable and prone to be vile and sadistic beings."

Elaine nodded and then glanced at Fix before nodding and swallowing. "So, how can I tell if he is going to be a loose cannon or a being that can be talked to and won't butcher you?"

"Watch him," the Erlking said and his smile turned into an unpleasant grin. "The way he acts and what he does is the only sure way." He then paused and tensed for a moment. "I suggest that you leave now, milady, an emissary of Winter just arrived and I don't want bloodshed under my roof."

Elaine looked at her host and then at the gathering of his courtiers. Most of which changed subtly, blue accents visible on their robes, weapons and in their hair. The symbols of Winter were visible and that didn't bode well. Whoever it is, they're important, she mused and then strode out of the hall. Fix right behind her, ready to stop any foolish attack by Winter.

o-0-o

Harry gently nudged his horse and guided it into a gully formed ages ago by some long forgotten river. Now the place where water flowed was covered in feet deep snow and ice, occasional tree root barely visible through the thick layer. He scanned the walls and arched an eyebrow when he saw mouths of several caves.

"There used to be nests of spiders and ghouls," Aurora said as she joined him. "Now however they're used when we want to stay in the countryside and hunt."

Harry looked at her and then at the overhanging ice and rock formation before once again looking at her. "I can see why nobody sane would seek shelter there. That thing can cut them off."

Aurora grinned and nodded. "Indeed," she whispered and jumped down, the snow crunching under her boots. "But we have magic, love. What is a trap for them, for us is a shelter."

Harry followed her onto the ground and then with reins of his horse in one hand he walked into the cave. "What do you have in mind?" he asked grinning at her. "This cave is far away from anybody and everybody and I can't sense anything close by."

Aurora smirked and kissed him on the cheek before looking into the cave. "I want some quality time alone with my lover," she whispered into his ear. "And away from the insanity of the court."

Harry blushed and shuffled uncomfortably as his eyes accustomed themselves to the darkness filling the cave. After few brief moments he saw the shapes clear enough to walk forward. "Is it that dark all the way inside?"

"No," Aurora said and then paused. "First fifty meters or so are dark. Then there is a climb up and glowing moss covers the walls. You remember the geothermal vents under Tor? Harry looked at her and nodded. "Those here are a branch of them."

"What about horses?"

"They're intelligent and hardy beings. There is some vegetation under the snow and they know how to find patches of grass around thermal lakes. They will be fine."

Harry nodded and took his bag from the saddle and followed Aurora into the caves. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he walked after her. He trusted her, but the darkness around them unsettled him and made him look for troubles.

Aurora smiled at him and then the very moment glowing moss appeared on the walls. "Tell me, what was that thing that made the darkness feel oppressive?"

Harry frowned and focused on magic. His eyes widened as he noticed subtle, extremely subtle veils and spells voven into the very roots of the mountain. "Magic," he breathed out. "Someone made the magic scare people away. Well, not really scare, just unsettle them enough to leave and I guess forget about the place."

"Very well, love," Aurora said and murmured some phrase he didn't quite hear. "I modified the spell, you ought to be able to reach out to it and feel it more easily."

Harry nodded in thanks and shook his head, getting over the effect of magic. His steps getting firmer and more comfortable with each single move he made. He finally climbed into a chamber where the geothermal vein was and he let out a happy sigh. Throwing his bag casually into the corner and laying on the soft moss and pelts brought here by someone before him he slowly relaxed. Worries and troubles of past days moving away from his body. He took a moment and looked around, his eyes noticing several large crystals growing from the floor and ceiling. They were milky, but covered in a net of blood red veins.

"You enjoy it, Harry?" Aurora asked as she tossed her bag next to his and sat down. She smirked, revealing her perfect teeth. "You are frustrated by the politics of the Court, the twisted words, the daggers hidden in the plain sight and everybody watching you."

He abruptly sat up and looked at her. "What?"

Aurora laughed and looked at him. "I spent past few weeks with you Harry," she said and laughed. "I know how to read you and while your mask is good enough to fool those that don't know you... Let's say that it doesn't exist for me. You want people to be honest towards you, to be less backstabbing and more open."

He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze avoiding her eyes. "There might be something to it," he said and then looked at her. "That possession when sister froze me in ice... It scared the crap out of me."

Aurora nodded at this and reached to her bag before fishing out a large wineskin. She opened it, took a gulp and tossed it at Harry. "Drink it," she said and smiled encouragingly. "It will help you relax."

Harry took the skin from her and sniffed the content before slowly drinking. He almost immediately felt the throat burn him, but then a pleasant warmth started to spread all over his body. He finished drinking and looked at Aurora. "What was that?" he asked and looked at the skin. "It's strong and it burns, but I like it."

"Mead." She smiled. "Not the strongest one I could get my hands on." She then leaned closer to him and whispered into his ear. "But I don't want you drunk."

A shudder passed through Harry's body and he looked at her. "Then what do you want?"

Aurora smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Some fun," she whispered and moved away. "Some fun you should enjoy."

He looked at her. Unsure and feeling a bit out of place, making Aurora smile warmly and grin.

"Trust me Harry," she murmured and chuckled. "Did I ever hurt you?"

"No..."

"Precisely that." She smiled and sat in front of him before looking at one of the massive crystals growing from the floor. It lit up, it's gentle, amber glow banishing any remaining shadows from the room. "Are you going to be a chicken or are you going to trust you?"

"I will trust you," Harry said and relaxed, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Aurora grinned and fiddled with the wineskin for few precious seconds before looking at him. "The rules of this game are pretty simple. We ask each other questions. You answer my question, I remove one of my clothes. I answer yours, you remove yours. If you fail to answer mine, you remove one of yours, if I fail to answer yours, I remove one of mine."

Harry blushed as he looked at her form, his eyes sliding over her chest and then over her face. "Seems simple enough," he said and smiled. "Who starts?"

"I'll be gentle and nice," Aurora said with a grin. "I will start. Tell me, love, who is Lord Herne the Hunter?"

"The Erlking," Harry said quickly. "The leader of the Wild Hunt."

"Aye," Aurora nodded and slipped out of her hoodie, casually tossing it behind. "Your turn."

Harry thought for a second and then smirked, the question that came to his mind was a hard to answer or at least he hoped so. "The basilisk, the sound of what animal is its bane?"

Aurora rolled her eyes and reached for mead before sipping some. "Rooster," she said and added after a second. "Crowing of a rooster is fatal to them."

"Damn," Harry muttered as he tossed his hoodie to the side. "I half-expected you not to answer it."

"Harry, I hunt monsters for Mab," Aurora said quietly and then smiled. "Since we are talking about monsters. What monsters was killed by tossing a lead javelin into its mouth?"

"Chimera," Harry said without thinking much. "Perseus did it knowing that it breathed fire. Its fire melted the weapon and it choked on liquid lead."

"Very good," Aurora said with some respect as her boots flew behind her. "I expect you to know less."

Harry smiled at her and looked at her. "Mandrake root, what's the main use of it?"

"Reversing petrification and overall a strong antidote to a wide variety of poisons," Aurora said and then smirked. "Also properly prepared can be used as a poison."

Harry's jaw dropped and he simply gaped at her. His mind unable to grasp that he gave him way more information than he expected.

"I think that I answered your question." Aurora smiled. "Jump out of your boots or shirt." She smirked and looked at him. "Actually, jump out of both."

"What?" Harry sputtered, a furious blush appearing on his face.

"I didn't say that we couldn't discard more clothes, did I?"

"No…"

"What are you waiting for then?" She asked and smiled. "You agreed that we play."

"Fair enough," he said throwing his boots away, followed by his socks. Seeing her frown he smirked. "Two pieces of clothing, no?"

"Yes," Aurora said with a nod of agreement. She frowned, but then smiled. "Another round and it will get more interesting," she said with a smirk. "But until then, let's play."

Harry arched an eyebrow at her in an unspoken question, but then he shrugged it. "So, what do we do once we end the game?"

"You will see, love," Aurora murmured and kissed him chastely. "Now, tell me love who are the Queens of Summer?"

"Mother, Titania and Lily," Harry said and smiled. "Queen That Was, Queen That Is and Queen That Will Be." He looked at Aurora's shirt with her breasts visibly straining the material before focusing back on her face. "The Mother is the previous Queen, she's the Crone of the Court, old beyond any imagination and even more powerful. She lacks the official power, but she is the strongest of all. The Queen is the Mother, the current Queen that rules the Court and is its leader. Finally the Lady is the Maiden, the virgin and untouched Queen that is the future of the Court. She's pure, uncorrupted by the world and her own actions."

Aurora arched an eyebrow and then nodded as she pulled socks of her feet before tossing them aside. She then stood up and slowly rolled up her shirt, painstakingly slowly revealing her belly and then breasts wrapped in a solid bra that didn't reveal much... But what it revealed was enough for Harry's imagination and he blushed as he looked at her.

"Never saw a girl naked?" Aurora asked with a cheeky smile as she sat down.

Harry's cheeks turned into a shade of a slightly overcooked tomato and Aurora only chuckled seeing it. "N... No," he said and took a deep breath. "Never really had an opportunity."

She smirked and reached to kiss him. "You will get used to it, soon," she whispered and leaned back. "Now time for your question."

"In Britain, a certain ruler had a sword that is rather famous and from what I know it currently is a Sword of the Cross."

Aurora frowned, but then her eyes narrowed and she nodded. "Sword in the Stone," she said and she grinned. "Excalibur as you call it. The blade that cast Fomor into the seas and clensead the Isles."

Harry blushed as he realized she answered his question and once more told him more than he expected. He slipped out of his shirt and started to unbutton his pants when her hand landed on his arm.

"No," Aurora whispered into his ear. "You doing that would be unfair. I want to prolong the game." She kissed him and ran her hand across his chest. "Now we go back to one question, one piece of clothing." She smirked and her eyes shone with their own mischevious light. "It will be more fun if you remove my clothes and I remove yours."

Harry blushed as his mind finally caught up with her words. He then reached for mead and drank a lot of it, the pleasant fire in his gut growing even more as his doubts and questions vanished. He tossed the alcohol to Aurora and then shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Tell me love," she whispered. "Who was your biggest crush from Hogwarts?"

Harry blushed, embarrassment and arousal mixing in him. He swallowed and then forced himself to speak, his gaze focused on one of the crystals behind Aurora. "Katie Bell," he said and seeing Aurora arch an eyebrow he added. "She's a player on my team, strong, gorgeous, kind and nice."

Aurora smiled and shifted encouragingly. "It seems she's a person I would like to meet," she said and a softer, purring noise left her mouth. "Now, time for your reward."

Harry looked at Aurora, even if she called him her boyfriend and spent a lot of time together. Outside of combat they never really shared much physical contact. He shifted forward and slowly, carefully traced his hand up her leg. He blushed and smiled timidly as he got to the hem of her pants.

"Not my bra?" Aurora asked with a teasing smile as she stretched and shifted as he started to unbutton them. "I thought you were a brave and courageous boy."

Harry smiled at her and then shook his head as he tugged and pulled down her pants. "I'm brave, my love," he muttered and smiled. "I am also considerate and careful."

Aurora purred in appreciation and moved, letting him fully pull down her pants. Then she stood she stood up and picked them off the floor before tossing them aside. Her body only covered by her panties and bra that weren't see through, however they hugged her body perfectly and revealed every single thing.

"What do you think, love?" she asked, as she spun in place.

Harry's eyes glazed for a brief second, but then he snapped himself out of it. He pinched himself in the cheek and the pain allowed him to focus. "You're beautiful," he whispered and shifted himself on the pelts.

Aurora smiled and kissed him on the forehead before sitting down and looking into his eyes. "I believe it is now your time to ask me a question," she said and stretched on the pelts, exposing all of her hard and lean muscles.

Harry reached for the mead and sipped some before looking at her. "Why do you hang out with me?" he asked and seeing her frown he sighed. "I know that you were ordered to do it, but we both know that you don't need to spend so much time at my side."

"It is a complicated question," Aurora said and sighed, her hands slowly playing with her hair. "Yes, part of it is that I was ordered to help you. I'm sworn to obey Lady Sarissa, I have some freedom to use, but when she gives me a task, I cannot wiggle out of it. I'm sworn into her service, she gives me her protection, high standing at the court and teaches me more advanced magic. However I need to do things she wants me to do." Aurora said and let her hair free. The black locks falling down her back.

"I was asked, well, as I said, ordered to help you," she repeated and then shifted on the pelt. "At first, I was reluctant, seeing you as some annoyance that is another spoiled noble brat that will get an arrow between their eyes and drops dead. You are brash, annoying and irritating with your lack of knowledge, but you are not what I expected." She looked at him, flashing her teeth in a smile. "You can be an enjoyable person to be with. You have something in you that attracts people towards you... No matter what you do, the people will be attracted to you." She licked her lips and paused, considering her words. "I don't mean as in want to have sex, but sure, many will want it. What I mean is something else. That they will be desiring to be near you, to listen to what you say. To follow you and to attract your attention."

Harry felt his own skin redden in embarrassment. He could tell that what Aurora was saying was true or she believed it to be true as she couldn't lie to him. Yet he had issues comprehending that he, well, anybody could have such a strong impact on anybody. "I see," he finally managed to say.

"For once I want you to stop being logical and rational," Aurora said as she gently grasped his head and dragged him closer. "Trust your own emotions," she whispered and pulled him into a kiss. "They lie about many things, but did I lie to you?"

Harry shook his head and Aurora only nodded kissing him more fiercely as her hands wrapped around his back, bringing them as close to each other as possible. He was unable to let a word out and instead let his own hands move across her back, slipping over the taunt skin and wiry, hard muscles hidden underneath it.

"So trust me," Aurora said, breaking the kiss, making him pout. "You will have it," she whispered. "Just later." She then pushed him onto the ground and easily pulled down his pants, leaving him only in his boxers that were strained in the middle. She smiled and accidentally moved her hand across that spot, making Harry moan.

Harry laid there on the pelts and blankets and moss. His breathing uneven and labored as he tried to recover some sense of equilibrium before shaking his head and taking a deep breath. "That was crazy," he said and then sat up slowly. "But I like it."

Aurora smiled knowingly and gave him a look. "I can sense your emotions pretty well," she quietly said and then added reassuringly. "I won't push you much further today. I could and the spirits know that I want it, but I won't. There is a reason why I took you here."

"Nobody can find us?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Well, that is a part of the charm. Second is that it is so out of the way that you can vent anger, frustration, whatever you want and everybody will think it was something happening on the border." Aurora then looked at the geothermal pool in the cave. "This is also pretty useful and nice after spars and training." The gaze of her eyes then focused on him. "However I have one more reason why here. I want to see you as you, not the mask you have when at Tor. Harry, we all behave differently in that snake pit, I don't want you to be as stiff and cold as there." She then grinned. "Nobody will judge you, I could, but I won't. I invested too much in you to question myself now."

"Thank you," Harry said as he managed to calm his breathing. He then took one more breath to completely regain his control over it and then smiled. "You have two pieces of clothing, I have one. My question and I remove two of yours?"

Aurora arched her eyebrow and then grinned. "Of course, love," she said. "So what should I ask you about." She hummed and tapped her finger against one of her teeth before nodding. "That will do."

The look in Aurora's eyes made Harry's eyes narrow as he wondered what kind of embarrassing and awkward question she had in mind. He shook his head and then nodded. "Bring it on, love."

"So, at Hogwarts," she said and then sipped some more mead. "Did you do anything with anybody? Kissing, making out and anything beyond that."

Harry blushed at this, but then swallowed and taking the mead from Aurora answered. "Well, Katie, the one I mentioned, kissed and were making out after few of the matches we played." He saw Aurora arch an eyebrow and he smiled. "I liked her and she seemed to sense it, so she pulled me away from the team after one match and that's how it started."

Aurora smiled at him. "Like a true Unseelie," she said. "We all are beings of passion and love and lust and emotions."

Harry approached her and positioned himself behind her, his hands easily dealing with the clasp of her bra and tossing it aside. Then his fingers danced across her skin as he moved them down, towards her panties. He gently pulled them down and then Aurora stood up, making them fall onto the ground.

"You're the one that's still in clothes," she whispered as she pressed herself against Harry, making him moan and groan in need. "So, give me that one question, love."

"Your love life," he said as he laid on the shore of the pool and then yawned. "And hurry, before I fall asleep."

Aurora cackled and then laid down on the other side of the same pool, displaying the beauty and grace of her naked body. "Well, if you want to know if I had any stable, longer relationships. No, I didn't have," she said and smiled. "I had a lot of lovers, but until you none of them for more than a couple of days. Most was for a day or two." Seeing his discomfort and confusion she added. "It is not an easy thing for an Unseelie or Seelie for that matter to enter a longer relationship. We are either too calculating or too emotional. The only relationship that lasts for millenia by now is that of Oberon and Titania, the rest is usually short, fickle and dangerous for parties involved."

Harry shifted and then frowned. "So, you will sleep around with people, but won't actually enter a stable relationship unless you are willing?"

"Willing and being sure I can trust them," Aurora said. "But that is the basics."

"So I should be grateful that you want it?" Harry asked as she moved towards him.

"Very much so," Aurora muttered as she caressed his legs and removed the very last article of his clothing. "And you seem to be wanting me," she teased him, her hand reaching to his crotch. "But not now."

Harry groaned and looked at her, his eyes clouded with lust and want.

"No!" Aurora said and reached into the lake, splashing water onto his face. "First sleep, then we can do anything else. You are drunk and irrational."

Harry blinked, the shock of hot water hitting him, breaking him out of the stupor. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's fine," Aurora said as she wrapped herself in a blanket. "Sleep well, love."

o-0-o

Copan, once a Mayan stronghold and temple complex, since the immemorial also served as a dwelling of one of the Lords of the Outer Night. The highest tier of their nobility, the beings that saw millenia pass, the oldest of them all, the strongest, the most vicious and the most powerful magically.

As such thousands of lesser vampires and dozens of thousands of half-vampires, ghouls and humans dwelled nearby. Some were servants, some were warriors, but the most was slaves and cattle for the most powerful vassals of the Lord. The War meant that even more than normally was present when the Wild Hunt struck.

The winds howled and the thunders rolled over the complex as the hunting horns pierced the air. The Erlking and his court never arrived in silence, it always announced its arrival. The moment the horns fell silent, howls and barking of the hounds, and clatter of thousands of hooves was heard.

The Jaguar Warriors, most of them ancient half-vampires, and human mercenaries posted to warn against such attacks didn't have any chance to raise alarm. Their throats were ripped apart by the hounds, chests cracked open by axes and swords, heads smashed by maces, limbs ripped away from their bodies by claws and knives.

Sarissa slashed at the nearby vampire, the blade of her sword cutting open its stomach. A flood of blood splashing against the ground and legs of her horse. She didn't waste it any more time and beheaded a ghoul that leaped at her. Then she grabbed a javelin tossed at her by one of the hunters and drove it into the throat of a Duke that prepared a spell.

She slowed down her galloping mount and looked around, the Erlking and a part of the Hunt was running down the Lord and his retinue of what looked like human wizards. Another big chunk of the Hunt with what looked like Lord Kringle was butchering the mercenaries and half-vampires.

Sarissa noticed a pack of nobles that avoided so far any attention and guided her horse towards it. In her mind a spell formed and as she neared them a storm of ice shards appeared out of nowhere and impaled the front ranks. Then with a roar she pulled out her second sword and started to cut through them.

Magic swirled around her, sharpening the blades, diverting strikes, slowing down enemies and guiding her own strikes to their intended targets. Limbs, heads and chunks of corpses dropped onto the ground in a deluge of blood turning the already soaken, miserable ground into a death trap full of body parts.

"Your mother trained you well, milady," someone said and when Sarissa turned to look at the source of the voice she saw a tall Sidhe in golden armor, without a helmet. His face handsome, beyond eyen Sidhe standards, his eyes the color of fresh grass and his long, flowing hair the color of wheat. "I'm Oberon," he said with a gentle curtsy.

Sarissa gasped, but then a pack of ghouls smashed into them and once again they needed to focused on their enemies. Oberon was dead, he died when he was caught between Mab and Titania in a love affair. Yet the being here had the power and had the majesty to pass for one and rode in the Wild Hunt, a privilege not many could claim.

o-0-o

The Erlking smashed the spells used by the Lord of the Outer Night with a single swipe of his spear. Then he drove the teen feet of the weapon into the throat of the being that long ago claimed to be a god. It still technically had some of its power, but against one of the rulers of Fae it meant nothing.

"Die!" The Erlking roared as he reached for the impaled struggling form. He felt the claws and teeth rake against his armor, but he ignored it all. He finally found the throat of the abomination and his fist wrapped around it.

A moment later he squeezed and the energy left the Lord as his life flowed out of him. Then in a show of sorcerous power the headless body was tossed into the air and panic spread amongst the ranks of vampires. The Lords were supposed to be invincible and impossible to defeat. They were the ones whose sheer force of will kept the lesser vampires from running away.

What before was a somewhat organized retreat into the main strongholds and temples, while the ghouls, half-vampires and mercenaries tried to stop the Hunt turned into an all out rout. The Erlking let out a fierce howl and dozens of his warriors answered as they started to chase down the running away vampires, loot the buildings and catch the thralls the Winter wanted.

o-0-o

I stumbled into my basement, the migraine I had not making the task particularly easy and then managed to crawl into the circle I had inlain in the floor. Once inside I took several deep breaths and let out a breathe of relief when the headache went away.

"Bob! Tell me what the heck is going on!" I yelled at my spirit of knowledge.

"Troubles," my assistant and information source said. "The Wild Hunt struck Copan."

I blinked and then squinted my eyes. "That's eighteen hundred miles from here. What is going on there to cause something like this?"

"The Red Court is fighting an all out battle," Bob said and then his eyes, well, two sparks of fire that were eyes darkened. "The Erlking pulled out every hunter god, every Sidhe and every being he coule get his hands on. The war between Sidhe Queens would look like an innocent brawl. They didn't commit all of their power to the battle. Here nobody is holding back and we have gods using their powers."

I groaned and bundled up my coat into a pillow. "Wake me up when it is done," I said and looked at the skull. "I need my sleep."

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N -**

 **Reviews:**

 _Uzushiogakure – Okay, I addressed some in the pms, but knowing people I will get the same questions over and over again._

 _White Court surviving for a long time, world of Dresden is a world where politics and international relations are moving at glacial speed and nobody wants their perfectly assembled plot crumble to dust so major players stay the same._

 _Second thing, until Maggie(mom of Dresden) more or less for all intents and purposes castrated the White King they were much, much, much more dangerous. On average you can't tell that they're there, they don't have any overly distinguishing physical traits, usually don't leave mutilitated corpses behind and sleep on a crap load of information and money._

 _Yes, if a wizard or some supernatural being expects White Court vamp they can find it, but spotting one in a casual interaction is much, much harder._

 _Third, the divisions between groups are so deep, so old that for many it takes a literal Armageddon or their very, very crucial interests threatened. It took frakking Fomor and first the Red Court almost winning a war for the White Court, Winter Court, Knights of the Cross and several more groups to act together. Simply put, they expect that they will be stabbed in the back by the 'ally' so they stay far away from any commitment to any kind of an alliance._

 _Veela are mostly drop dead gorgeous, White Court is capable of using their Hunger to make almost anybody crave their company and the Veela Harry met were young. Lara is old, old as in sixteenth century or so old. And his power came with a cost, one that shows partially in this chapter, Winter is urges, hungers and darker side taken to the extreme._

 _Think that way, his power will grow in leaps and bounds, especially magic, but at the same time his libido and darker side will also become more visible. He won't go the route of Jack the Ripper, but he won't be sweet, cuddly and forgiving. If you piss him off there is a good chance he will plot your murder, you hurt his pride, look above. You try to fuck him over in any bargain you made with him, shelter in Hell would probably be a better thing than being alive or in domain of any god that owes things to Winter._

 _He won't go killing willy nilly and will still be honorable, kind, generous and so on, but won't be meek. Better would be that he would be the opposite of meek._

 _As for Aurora being a sadist, she's a novice. Winter Knight betrayed Mab something like five or six years ago, since then she tortured him – mentally, physically, sexually – healed, tortured, healed, tortured, healed and so on. For five whole years she did it and won't stop until she finds a suitable replacement for him, pardon, until she convinces the replacement to be his replacement._


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N – Another chapter that's very much of a very needed exposition. But I'm also evil and don't want to share too many details at once as that spoils the fun. Harry and Aurora arc is bloody long and will take ages before it wraps up for now.**

 **The questions he asked her in this chapter will uncover some unpleasant truths about her, his family, Sidhe and few more things and will change him. How? That's for you to discover as you read through the story. However much won't be fully and directly answered before he goes back to Hogwarts, well, one of the major things will, but the rest no.**

 **o-0-o**

The doors of the Hospital Wing slammed open as Snape strode through them. His massive, ragged, black robe billowed in his wake. He walked towards the only occupied bed and a sneer appeared on his face. "Bumbling idiot," he snarled, vanishing the bandages and looking at the bloody wound. "You can't trust him with a simple potion."

"What did happen?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she glared at Snape. "That wound, most of my magic doesn't even affect it."

"One of the potions the second year learns to brew that can make things inert to magic," Snape said and sneered. "The idiot decided to add a catalyst that makes it unstable and more potent. If he was smart he would have known how to balance it." Snape waved his wand and summoned one of the shards of metal, the edges still covered in blood. "He will need to recover from it without magic. The White Council could help, but they are occupied by the war."

"What about St Mungo?"

"They will have the same amount of luck as you, maybe slightly more," Snape said and then pulled out a small vial. "This should help him and speed up his recovery." The Potion Master smiled coldly. "It won't make his wounds disappear, like it normally would. But it will speed up the process."

The fact that it also made the one that took it forget events of the last five weeks and be in such a pain they couldn't form a coherent sentence was not a thing Madam Pomfrey needed to know. In fact, it was ideal if she was unaware of both. The less everybody knew about the true effects of this creation of his, the better.

Snape stalked out of the Hospital Wing. He paused when he felt a wand pressed against his back. "What did you do, Severus?" McGonagall asked and he looked at the old professor. "I know that you have a grudge against Gryffindor, but this is even beyond you."

Severus turned and let his wand flow into his hand. "What do you know about Dean Thomas?" he asked back. "Of the people he meets with, the beings he serves and the people he spies on."

McGonagall recoiled and if not for her self-control Snape would have been an animal or at least pinned against one of the walls. "What do you mean?" she hissed out, the wand pointed at his face.

Snape allowed himself a cold smile and then he looked at her. "That some students are either willingly or unwillingly spying for certain organizations," Snape's smile turned into a sneer. "Some are in this more idiotic than some, but the most stays far away from troubles. Dean Thomas, he decided to tangle with one of the most unpleasant groups on this planet, the Red Court, and an associate asked me to keep him silent so that your precious Boy-Who-Lived could acquire the necessary knowledge and skills."

McGonagall's eyes narrowed into a pair of slits. "How do you know so much?"

Snape leaped away from her, as if stung by some invisible sword and glared at her. "During my time with You-Know-Who I met certain beings. I spied for them against him and received certain benefits. Including protection and an insurance policy so to say."

McGonagall's eyes blazed with fires, but after few moments they subdued. "So did you cause the accident?"

"Yes, I did," Snape said bitterly. "It was a necessity so that Harry Potter has a good chance to live undisturbed until the start of the next school year. I know the identity of his mother and she can protect him, but the less people know, the better. Dean Thomas won't remember certain events since the mess in the Chamber and will sleep in coma until the end of the year. Headmaster is I think aware of both of those things."

"Yes," Dumbledore said as he arrived in his flamboyant purple and gold robe. "Severus mentioned the barest details to me and I agreed with a heavy heart. Minerva, I know that you hate it, but it all is for the greater good and protection of the lives of students."

"What, Albus?" McGonagall asked, her words acidic and harsh. "You allowed him to do... This!?"

Dumbledore let out a sigh, showing how old, how scarred by life and how tired he truly was. The mask of a happy, even enthusiastic, yet ancient and wise wizard slipping for once. "Yes," he finally said, his voice regaining firmness. "Out of the two choices it was the best one. I trust Severus and Harry is too precious to be hurt. Any injured student is a tragedy, any dead one is an even bigger one."

McGonagall glared at him and then switched her gaze at Snape. "How am I supposed to explain this to my house?"

"That it was an accident and that Mr Thomas has the best possible care," Snape said and shrugged. "They will believe that and shouldn't ask too many questions. Besides, the school year is coming to an end and the exams will make them freak out about studying." Snape's cold smile was as unpleasant as it was scary. "Given the conditions of the end of the year, really, they will have different issues than him being injured."

o-0-o

Elaine Mallory entered into the tent, a massive silk and wood construct, where Titania held the court and pushed her way through the throng of Sidhe, elves, dryads, gruffs, fauns and dozens of other beings before approaching the throne of Titania. The Lady of Light and Life sat on one of the twin wooden thrones. Each of them a massive piece of oak, partially naturally grown, partially sculpted to shape.

"My Lady," Elaine said, kneeling to one knee and lowering her head. "I managed to discover everything there was to be discovered about one once known as Harry Potter."

Titania regarded her for several long moments, the full attention of the Seelie Queen smothering and overpowering any will Elaine had on her own. However not only the Queen looked at her, as the gazes of the whole court. A mass of beings large and small, dangerous and powerful, focused their attention on her. Even the usual bargaining stopped, every single one of the gathered creatures waiting for their Queen. "Speak," Titania said. "Tell us what you know and then we will judge him."

Elaine swallowed, fully aware that a single of her words could cause another conflict between the courts. "Harry Potter is a scion of Mab and a Olympian god of an unknown identity. Until few weeks past he was unaware of his heritage as he lived until his thirteenth birthday with a mortal family as Mab hid him amongst humans."

Elaine looked discreetly at the court and nodded to herself when she saw the Eldest Gruff move towards Titania. The aged fae would be needed as he was one of few beings that could soothe the more temperamental of Titania's behaviors.

"However the family in which he grew up was not the one he was supposed to grow up in. One where he ought to be living was killed on Samhain, a year after his birth. They were practitioners and opposed a warlock that terrorized the Isles. On that night he came to their house, killed them and then was unable to kill Harry. Harry, an infant then, was supposed to be a sacrifice in a ritual that was supposed to give the warlock immortality..."

"Pause," the Eldest Gruff said and Elaine looked at him. "What do you mean by a ritual to give him immortality?"

"I am unsure," Elaine said and paused for a moment. "Records that I could access about such rituals are extremely limited. They are either held in the strongholds of the Senior Council, their headquarters below Edinburgh or were simply destroyed through the course of history."

"I think that I know what the warlock intended to do," the Gruff said and glanced at Titania. "Lady, allow me to explain." Titania tilted her head in a nod and Gruff looked at Elaine. "Some warlocks split their soul into parts. Each of the parts bound to an object of some potency. It was derived from the Egyptian idea of burial rites. The internal organs were sealed in separate jars, while the rest of the body in the main sarcophagus. It served to protect the soul from the foulest of magic. However the magic used to peacefully separate soul and place in different jars..."

"Can be used to keep oneself alive beyond the lifespan of one's body," Elaine finishes with widened eyes. "What matters is what happens next. Harry's childhood was hell. The relatives of his murdered mortal guardians knew about magic and hated it in all shapes and forms and any scion shows magic from birth." At this an angry rumbling growl passed through the room before a gesture made by Titania silenced it. "After his thirteenth birthday he disappeared into Hogwarts and I was unable to discover much about that period of his life. Entering the Hogwarts was in my opinion too risky, the amount of spies in that place is truly impressive and we don't want vampires to know about our affairs."

"You did well," Titania said and then her gaze flickered to the Gruff. "Do you have any questions, the Eldest?"

"One," the aged fae said. "Do you think his mind is warped or is he a typical Unseelie coming into their powers?"

Elaine licked her lips and considered her words. The weight of the question and the weight of her answer was pressing onto her and the consequences could very well affect the whole world. "I don't think his mind is warped," she said and then her eyes flickered to the Gruff. "He has traumas to cope with, but he was mostly behaving like a Sidhe would have."

"Thank you, Elaine Mallory," Titania said. "You speak wisdom and your words helped me to choose the course of action. No champion of the Summer will be sent after Harry Potter unless he first attacks this Court."

Elaine stood up and bowed to the Queen before walking out of the tent. This was possibly the best outcome for everybody. The Courts now were focused on cracking down on the Red Court and hostilities between them stopped, for the most part. The Summer staying clear of the new prince of Winter ensured that this state of affairs would continue.

o-0-o

The ash was falling from the sky as Ebenezer McCoy stepped out of the Nevernever in what used to be Copan. The temples and fortresses that once survived a furious assault of several hundred Wardens and the Senior Council now were ruins. More than ruins, they were burned out husks of stone.

He walked forward, bones, weapons, pieces of armor and body parts cracking under his boots. All of it was covered in a thick layer of ash and dust, threw into the air by the fires and updraught winds. Once proud temples in many cases were piles of stones covered in corpses and in many, barely recognizable mounds of corpses and stones. The list of forces with the manpower and primitive, brutal raw power necessary to crack open and then thoroughly demolish such a fortress was painfully short. And. Most of them tried to be as far away from the conflict with the Red Court as possible.

"There is nothing left," one of the Wardens said.

Ebenezer looked at the scarred veteran and nodded. "They were thorough, scoured the place clean. What they didn't take, they burned down, destroyed or made useless."

Passing between two columns that used to hold sculptures of jaguars, now laying broken amongst corpses, Ebenezer entered onto a small plaza. In the middle of it corpses were piled up to almost three feet, every single one of a vampire noble or the oldest, the strongest Jaguar Knight.

"That is interesting," he murmured, using his staff to push them aside. "They fought as if there was no retreat."

He frowned, gaze of his eyes focused on the corpses when a cry from one of the Wardens got his attention. "Sir!" One of them yelled, holding a half-melted golden mask.

Eb crossed the space between them, took the mask and cleaned it from most of the grime and ash. "A Lord of the Outer Night," he murmured. "The bastards that came here murmured knew for what they were looking."

"Sir?"

"The attack happened here because of who resides here. The mask, that's a badge of office of one of the Lords of the Outer Night. This attack was not only for loot and thralls. It was a message to the Reds. You can't hide from us. We will strike you, where and how we want."

Ebenezer looked at the mask and then at the piles of corpses. "Find the Lord. He will be wearing rich jewelery and should look the oldest. Once that's done, we return to Edinburgh."

o-0-o

Harry groaned as he opened his eyes and sat up. Last night was a fuzzy rush of intense emotions, feelings and memories. It all was mixed with itself and blurry. One memory mixing with another and it all seemed unreal.

Then he looked at his own naked form and after a moment at Aurora's body splayed out on the shore of the lake. What seemed like a freaky, embarrassing and very awkward dream was true. Not that he wanted it to be a dream. The emotions and feelings he experienced were pleasant. All of that being just a dream would be a huge disappointment for him.

He untangled himself from the blanket and slipped into the water of the lake. He hissed when the warm, almost hot water made a contact with his skin before slowly relaxing. The hot water also cleared his mind, banishing most of the faint, throbbing headache he felt.

The water gave him some strange clarity of thoughts and emotions. The tangled and confused mess of emotions he felt started to unravel itself. He let out a sigh as he looked at Aurora, she looked so peacefully, laying completely naked on the shore. She was also so desirable and hot, a thing that made certain feelings and urges wake up in him.

Yet as he looked at her he could see old scars and wounds. Some of them long and jagged in appearance, making him wonder what exactly happened to her or what did she do to get so injured. He had a fair collection of scars on his own, but none was as large or bad as some of the scars he saw on Aurora's body.

"Did you see everything?" Aurora asked and Harry jumped back. "I wasn't sleeping for some time."

Harry blushed and then paled a bit in fear. He knew she was temperamental and nasty, and didn't want to find himself on the receiving edge of her anger.

"Easy," Aurora said and sighed. "I won't kill you. Harry, I like you and I don't really care if you see me naked."

Harry smiled in thanks and moved closer to her. "I really like what we did yesterday," he said, fighting a blush.

Aurora smiled and reached to kiss him. "It was fun," she whispered, her lips brushing against his. "Wasn't it?"

"It was," Harry said, the physical contact sending jolts of energy all over his heated body. "I wouldn't mind more of it."

Aurora hummed quietly and then smiled. "We have all the time in the world for ourselves," she said and kissed him once more. "But, first there are things we need to do."

Harry pouted at this. "What?"

"Training," Aurora said and smiled. "Do you think I would let you forget about it?" She chuckled and shook her head. "We finish it and we can do everything you want."

o-0-o

Syd squinted his eyes as he looked at the road leading towards Arctis Tor. Hundreds, if not thousands of what looked like humans walked down the stone and ice path. Around them several dozen Sidhe warriors on horses. The Unseelie raised human population of the world, but never did they do it on such a scale.

Usually it was few to few dozens at once, more than that was getting attention and while attention meant more power from worshipping and using names. It had the second side, that the mortals were on guard and snatching more would be harder than normally. The thralls were necessary to keep the Winter running and they were useful trade commodity, everybody wanted human thralls, not many could easily catch them.

He watched the whole column for a brief second and then put on his helmet and kicked his horse, making the mount gallop and get him closer to the guards. The warriors looked at him and waves him past as he rode to Sarissa who kept herself close to the back of the column.

"My Lady," Syd called out as he slowed down.

"Syd," Sarissa said with a nod. "Do you know if my sister is in Tor or anywhere close to it?"

"Not as far as I can tell," Syd said and then glanced at the humans. "My Lady, how did you get so many of them?"

"Attack on the stronghold of the Red Court," Sarissa said and smiled. "The Erlking called all of his allies into the Hunt and we struck Copan. The Lord ruling it is dead and all of the surrounding fortresses are also gone." Syd gasped and was unable to catch his breath. "Yes, that means that some twenty thousand vampires are dead and we freed even more humans."

Syd frowned as he looked at the humans and then at Sarissa. "It is close to Chichen Itza, why did Kukulkan allow us to wreck it?"

"Because he would take so many losses the White Council would finish him off," Sarissa said and smiled coldly. "I sensed my foolish sister, as well as Lily riding in the hunt, over a dozen deities and Lord Kringle, the Erlking and Oberon, who apparently isn't dead. For all his power, Kukulkan doesn't stand a chance of achieving a clear and decisive victory against such a host."

"That makes sense," Syd said and then looked at the thralls. "The White Council won't be happy."

"Syd, you are intelligent," Sarissa said, her eyes darkening for a second. "The White Council is out of breath and if not for the strikes from us, Summer and White Court they would have been in a far worse position. Will they oppose us if we robbed the vampires of a substantial amount of manpower and food and riches?"

It makes sense, Syd thought. He knew that the White Council was outnumbered and more often than not outgunned with its supply of the most experienced and strongest Wardens dry. However they were terribly arrogant beings that rarely budged when it came to something like thralls. Human thralls, especially. They overlooked minor cases, but the most glaring ones usually draw their ire.

"No," he finally said.

"Exactly," Sarissa said and smiled faintly. "They might be even grateful that we did it. The Red Court will be in disarray for weeks to come and the Council needs as much rest as they can get. The Erlking killing that Lord only made the attack more disastrous."

"What are they?" Syd asked and Sarissa looked at him. "The Lords of the Outer Night."

"They all started as the first vampires that the Red King created in the age when humans used stone tools and weapons and were for the most part nomads. Then the religions came and they posed as gods, monsters, heroes and such, people revered or feared them and when the Maya came they finally ascended to godhood."

"So they should be restrained. Her Majesty, for the comparison is a god. She can't act in certain ways, she can't do things against her nature and lacks full freewill a human or even we enjoy."

Sarissa gave him a look, but Syd didn't flinch. "Yes, I believe that they didn't truly ascend to godhood. They aren't mortals, but aren't deities either. I believe that they were gods for some time, but then their worshippers died or were reduced in size and the White God acted."

"So what they are?"

"A husk of a deity that lacks most of its power," Sarissa explained with a strange smile. "The power of their will is truly impressive, but they don't have the power my sister or mother can throw when in their domain."

Syd nodded and smiled. "I won't mind killing one on my own and getting its head as a trophy."

"You might have a chance sooner than you think," Sarissa said, her gaze drawn to the massive bulk of the fortress ahead.

o-0-o

The air in the vaulted chamber deep below the Halls of Edinburgh was cold. I breathed out and the air formed a faint mist in the air. Then I looked at other gathered wizards and at the body laying on the table in the middle and covered by cloth.

"Is it him?" I asked looking at Luccio, Commander of the Wardens.

"Yes," she said. "Ebenezer retrieved his body and mask. Second Lord that died in last few weeks."

"The Fae are hitting them hard."

"Far harder than anybody expected. There is nothing left in Copan. That place screams death and destruction to everybody."

"Stars and stones," I murmured. "I knew that it was the Erlking who did it and he is a vicious bastard."

"That would explain it," Ebenezer said, stepping into the room and uncovering the body. It was wrinkled, dried up husk of a body with a massive hole where it's chest used to be. "Whatever, whoever did it, outclassed the Lord."

"Fae Queens, Angels, Denarians, deities and the Erlking," I muttered.

"Yes, Hoss," Ebenezer said and grunted. "The Red Court was mauled hard and our contacts in the White Court report that Lara Raith ordered attacks on the holdings of the Reds in the States and Europe."

"She will win it," Luccio said and I glanced at her. "Two Lords and God only knows how many lesser nobles died in the recent weeks. The whole command structure of the Reds is a mess. They hit us hard in the past, but the attack on Copan put all of their and our strikes to shame."

"How many did they lose?" Carlos Ramirez asked.

"It was one of their principal fortresses and a nexus of the Ways," I murmured. "Last time we struck it had maybe twenty thousand vamps."

"I would at least double the number," Ebenezer said. "One of their armies was passing through it when the Hunt came. Also, every human, ghoul and half-vampire there also was killed or taken. That will slow them down and now Chichen Itza is exposed."

"So they will pull back from Europe," Luccio said and looked at the massive map of Europe painted on the ceiling. "We need to strike as they do so. Morgan, take forty Wardens and attack in France."

My nemesis and the right-hand of Luccio nodded and walked out of the room. Few of the older and more experienced Wardens following him suit.

"While we retake the Europe," Luccio then said, addressing all of us. "The rest of you. Return to your homes, strongholds and cities and prepare. We have a window of opportunity to rest, recover and train new Wardens while the vampires try to get their bearings straight. Don't waste it."

o-0-o

Harry let out a pained sigh as he sat down and rubbed his aching muscles. Aurora was running him into the ground and lack of armor was a cause of a great many of painful welts, scratches and bruises. The only mercy was that she decided to use dulled blades as those at least didn't cut the skin, even if the strike hurt like a bitch, he could move.

"Sore muscles?" Aurora asked with a grin as she approached him and sat next to him. "Or something else?"

Harry smiled at her and nodded. "I thought that without the bulk of armor I would run for longer and be faster." He grimaced and slowly rubbed his legs. "Turns out, it is false."

Aurora smiled and wrapped her arm around him and pressed her head against his shoulder. "You are much stronger and faster than you were when we started," she whispered. "The armor doesn't add that much weight to matter."

"You could have told me before," Harry groaned and moved back, resting his back against the wall. "Now I can't feel anything other than pain."

Aurora purred and kissed him on the cheek. "I can make you feel something else," she whispered, her hand brushing against his hip and making his breathing quicken. "Or we can talk about something and have fun later."

Harry reached to her and kissed her on her cheek before running his hand through her hair. "I think I want to talk," he said and smiled. "There are some things I wouldn't mind learning."

"Like?"

"Your past is one of them," Harry said and then his eyes narrowed when Aurora tensed for a second. "Or how did you become the handmaid of my sister. What does it involve for you and how do you want the relationship to look." He reached for the remains of mead from yesterday and slowly sipped it. "You said it is something special for fae, that you usually are much more unstable."

"We can talk about this," Aurora said with a heavy sigh. "But I won't give it all away to you for free and want you to give me answers to questions I will have."

Harry chuckled and Aurora looked at him. "You know that you will get the answers. The question is, will you like them."

"Truth is often harsh," Aurora said, her eyes quickly darkening. "Harry, I don't mean this as a nice, catchy phrase. Some of the things are harsh and you might not like what I will tell you. Including things about your family."

Harry frowned, he knew that Aurora couldn't lie and something in her voice was strange. As if she was holding back more than she wanted to admit. "What do you mean about my family?" he asked quietly as he cuddled against her. Not caring about the fact that his arousal was getting the better of him and Aurora could also see it. He kissed her and then looked into the eyes. "I won't judge what you say, just tell me."

"Harry, you really, really won't like it."

"Tell me!"

"Fine," Aurora said with a sigh. "Let's start with your older sister, Maeve. The Winter Lady. She's an insane, sadistic bitch that tortures and has people raped because she thinks it is fun. The Winter Knight, Lloyd Slate, was like her. When he crossed the line and Mab punished him, she possibly did the best thing. Both of them are power hungry, even for a fae, mad, paranoid and if she could have her way with you, you would be dead by now."

Harry felt a hammer slam into him as he felt the venom in Aurora's voice and her hate towards his sister was even stronger than the hate Ron had towards the Malfoys. "Why is she such?" Harry asked in a whisper.

"Mantle," Aurora spat. "The Lady of the Court needs to be a maiden until she becomes the Queen. But at the same time has the same urges as you and I, just strengthened to the very maximum. I want to have sex with you because I'm attracted to you and want to have some pleasure. For her... For her it is as if sex, pleasure and intimacy were a drug, drug she needs to take or she goes mad."

"But she can't get it..."

"Exactly," Aurora said and grimaced. "She can try to have it, but then the Mantle. The very thing that gives her power becomes active and murders her lover. And before you say that there are other ways for her to have pleasure." At this Harry blushed and Aurora only chuckled. "The Mantle is quite precise. No sexual activity and it means it quite literary."

"And the two hundred years of it drove her insane," Harry whistled. "Cheerful sister I have. Now I can see why Sarissa wants me and her to stay apart."

"That is one reason," Aurora said. "Second is whom she surrounds herself with. Outside of my father and few more nobles that allied her out of need. The rest is the kind of being I would normally hunt down. The worst abominations and creatures of the Winter. Cruel, even by our standards, vain, greedy, sadistic and so on." Aurora grimaced and then gave Harry a look. "Mab or Sarissa aren't much better in terms of whom they ally, but they restrain the most vile and primitive of their servants."

"Why would they keep them around?"

"Because they are extremely useful at times," Aurora said with some hostility that made a shiver pass through Harry's spine. "I don't agree with it, but the sight of your family torn to shreds and the house burned down is an effective message. Besides, some beings ignore you unless you show them that you can be as brutal as they are or even more."

Harry hummed quietly as he hugged her. "So why does my charming sister lack restrain?"

"As I said, the Mantle," Aurora said and then paused. "Also, I believe it is her character. The Mantle in itself only pushes your behaviors to the extreme. If you are nice and friendly, you will be the same. Just driven to the extreme. You are cruel and sadistic, you will be the same. Just as before, the extreme version of it."

"Doesn't sound like a thing you want to have," Harry said and sighed. "So how is it that mother is so much, maybe, not nicer, but certainly kinder."

"For once, she has a different Mantle," Aurora said and kissed Harry on the cheek. "Secondly, she's much older. The Mantle of the Queen is more restrained and doesn't awake the instincts to such a degree. She still has them heightened, but she doesn't have the limitation the Lady has. As for the age, the older the Sidhe is, the calmer we are."

Harry grimaced at this as he realized how unstable mentally truly was Maeve and to a lesser degree Sarissa. He didn't feel like meeting Maeve would be a safe or even a good idea. "We are supposed to be cold logic and numbers, while the summer is emotions."

"Yes."

"So, how is it that we are raving lunatics that struggle with instincts?"

"Because we are young and foolish," Aurora said and chuckled. "Actually, that is very true. We are very young and slightly less foolish."

Harry shook his head, trying to make the gloom and doom thoughts go away. "Can we, can we do something more pleasant?" he asked, his eyes and expression almost pleading. "What you said... Let's say, I want to forget it."

Aurora let out a very much feline purr and smiled before pushing him to the side and pouncing onto him. "I can make you forget," she whispered as she kissed him. "You just need to tell me."

Harry groaned as his hands reached to her back and dragged her closer. "Aurora," he whispered, his lips hungrily seeking hers. "I don't want to forget," he murmured, kissing her. "Just want to relax."

Aurora smiled, her eyes glistening with a stranger hunger as she kissed him. Her hands roaming all over his chest and abdomen. Exploring his body that slowly was becoming sculpted with thick, hard muscles. "Relax, love?" she asked teasingly, brushing her fingers against his crotch and sending shivers through his body."

"Ugh... Yes," Harry panted and pulled her into another kiss. He grasped her back and rolled, making her land below him. He smiled and licked his lips looking at her chest moving in the rhythm of her ragged breathing. "What you told me made me feel all doom and gloom," he whispered as he kissed her hungrily with his hands starting to wander across her chest.

Aurora smiled, letting him discover her body however he wanted before deciding it was enough for now. "Stop," she said as she ended the kiss and made Harry pout. "Harry, I saw Sidhe high on lust and alcohol. You don't have the control over your emotions and urges and you might do something you regret." She saw the anger at her ending his fun get replaced by quiet understanding and some acceptance. "I want to have sex with you, but when you are ready. Not when you are a dumb animal driven by hormones."

Harry pouted and rolled off her, his whole body glistening from sweat and his hair a stringy mess. He looked at her and then at their bags. "Did we bring any food with us?"

"No," Aurora said and then smiled seeing his line of thinking. "We can go hunt outside and get it." Her lips formed a smirk. "Cold will clear your mind."

o-0-o

Hermione passed between the shelves of the Hogwarts library. Each of them heavy with books, scrolls, slates and ancient tomes on sorcery, magic, creatures of magic and legends and so much more. Yet as she stalked down one row after another, her frustration grew. There was no book on what she wanted to read about.

After Ginny, Ron and Lockhart returned from the Chamber with Harry missing she sat down with Ginny and made her talk about what she saw and heard inside of the Chamber. The things Ginny said, about some woman claiming she was Harry's mother didn't make much sense, nor did the mentions of someone called the Merlin.

Harry's parents were dead, or weren't they, Hermione questioned herself as she stopped at the edge of the sections about history of magic. She spent here days, looking at the books. Then she frowned as a small, brown and extremely thin book caught her eye. She pulled it out and her frown deepened when she saw no information on title and authors on the cover.

"That's strange," she said to herself as she walked to one of the tables.

She opened it and her eyes narrowed as she read about the White Council. An organization they weren't taught that existed, yet according to this book they were far, far more powerful than the wizards of Britain. And their headquarters was under Edinburgh and then she gasped. The Merlin was the title of their leader. Apparently named so to commemorate the Merlin, one who founded the Council.

"This is interesting," she murmured as she pulled out a piece of parchment and started to make notes. "The question is, with whom he was talking in the Chamber." She frowned as she tried to remember if there were any books about myths and religions in the library.

If Ginny was right, the woman, whoever she was, made the Merlin back off and according to what Hermione was reading he was one of the most powerful wizards in existence. With even some deities treating him on equal terms. She scoffed as some could be author's own ideas, but if only half was true. It still was a major thing.

o-0-o

Donald Morgan grimaced as he blocked a strike from the Duke opposing him. The nobility of the Red Court was in panic and their mad dash to safety of their South American strongholds meant that they fought like cornered animals. Pulling all favors they had, throwing long forgotten magic into the battles, calling any and every ally and sacrificing dozens, if not hundreds of humans. Just to safely extract one of the senior nobles.

He stomped and a shockwave passed through the ground. Scattering the half-vampires and ghouls, while letting him get a strike at one of the Counts. Morgan's sword flickered and the head of the Count flew aside.

"One down," Morgan muttered as his dark eyes focused on the Duke. "Three more to go."

He then stepped forth, a lance of fire forming in his palm. He stopped and thrust his hand. The fire gained an ability to move and pierced through the chest of a vampire that shielded the Duke. The creature let out a shriek as it was burnt alive, the flames not even leaving a corpse behind before leaping at the next vampire.

The fire scattered the remaining retinue of the Duke, letting Morgan leap at his target and in a single strike, slice its body open from groin to head. At the same time the Counts dropped dead, their heads blown apart by machine gun rounds.

"Good job," Morgan said as he cleaned his sword and then looked at his team. "Secure their documentation and get out."

Every stronghold the Wardens struck, the Red Court was in disarray. Their servants throwing themselves to stop or slow down the Wardens, while the nobles ran. In many cases the ghouls, the half-vampires and even human mercenaries were so desperate that whole city blocks were set on fire. Just so that the Wardens were forced to protect the humans and slow down on cutting down the vampires.

Morgan looked back, at the burning buildings and shook his head. There should be no humans killed in this mess. Half of his group remained behind and scoured the buildings clean while he went after the Duke.

o-0-o

Chichen Itza was a hive of activity, dozens of nobles came and left at the same time. Many of them were coming from Europe, their forces ragged remains of once proud hosts that restrained the movements of the White Council. What was even more worrying was silence, complete and utter silence from some of the more senior leaders in Europe.

"How bad is it?" Kukulkan asked as he looked at Duchess Arianne Ortega.

"Copan cost us eighty thousand of our troops, half-vampires and ghouls included," she said and Kukulkan bared his fangs. "Even more cattle, riches and artifacts. They scoured the place clean and didn't leave anything behind."

"How many nobles are gone?"

"One Lord and dozens of Dukes and Counts," Arianne said and winced. "That's Copan only. Europe is an even bigger slaughter of both. The White Court identified majority of them and executed at least half. The Council is slower, but they're hammering us hard."

"Withdraw to jungles," Kukulkan said and then paused for a second. "And strike in Asia. They should be weakened there. Whoever isn't fighting is to go into the world and make as many vampires as they can. We need fighters, now."

"Of course, my lord," Arianne said and with a bow left the chamber atop the pyramid.

She allowed herself a smile as she saw looks of shock and disbelief on the faces of Dukes and Counts waiting for an audience. Many of them expected her dead, or at least to lose position. Yet nothing like this happened.

o-0-o

Lara Raith smiled fondly as she passed through the door of the London manor of the House of Raith. It was not as spacious, nor as luxurious as the one in Chicago, but it was more suited for the strikes against the Red Court. It was much closer to where she wanted to be and more importantly the amount of spies inside of it was smaller.

"My Lady," one of the human mercenaries said with a bow. "Operations in the west go according to plan. But in the southern Europe we can't crack their strongholds."

"Can't crack because the commanders are fools or because they have more resources than you expected?" Lara asked, her eyes narrowing as the mercenary fell into a position to her side.

"They have too many resources. We gave the intel to some friends who owe us in the italian military and they managed to take out one of the main strongholds. But the rest is too important to leak their existence."

Lara smiled approvingly and then frowned. "You say that in the west you have almost no resistance?"

"Yes, My Lady."

"I want you to shift the troops and gear to the south. My brother will also join you. He is a skilled fighter and has contacts that can aid you. However, that is for later. Now tell, me how much in terms of assets did we secure?"

"Close to half a billion in all forms of liquid assets and around three in other forms. We also recovered several artifacts we were instructed to find. Few still elude us, but they won't escape our grasp."

"You can divide fifty millions between you, your troops and your families," Lara said and then added with a smile. "Hundred and fifty more, if you track down all the artifacts."

The mercenary sputtered and Lara only smiled to herself before entering into a room that was as much of a command center as it was comfortable library and office at the same time. The strikes were going well, Macrone was taking over Reds assets in the USA and the Red King didn't know where to focus. The only immediate problem was the Winter Court and their youngest royalty coming back to the mortal world, but that was a thing Lara could plan for and her minions were competent.

Blaise and Daphne were younger than she wanted them to be, but showed to be competent and perhaps in due time both would become new vampires of her family. Nobody knew it, but the White Court could create new vampires through magic and rituals. It wasn't as easy as the Blacks or Reds had it, but it was a doable thing and oft used when some agent garnered enough attention, respect and power to be too useful to be allowed to waste their potential.

o-0-o

"Maeve needs to die," Sarissa said and Mab only looked at her. "Mother, we both know she's a liability and a dangerous being and doesn't fulfill her duties as the Lady."

"She's right, for once," Leansidhe said as she stepped into the chamber. Her golden hair flowed behind her and magical trinkets could be seen braided into it. "That stupid spawn of you will get us all destroyed. I don't care that she's your daughter, she needs to be gone."

"Leansidhe," Mab said coldly. "Watch your tongue."

"What will you do, Mab?" Lea asked. "I'm too useful, too powerful and I know too much about our secrets and our enemies for you to punish me."

"I can still send you away from the court," Mab said and then glared at Sarissa. "Let's assume we remove your sister, whom do you see getting the mantle? Yourself?"

"I was thinking Aunt Lea," Sarissa said and then frowned. "I could take it, but it wouldn't be the best choice, especially now when I need to guide our agents in the world of mortals."

"Yes," Lea said as she moved behind Sarissa and placed her hands on the younger's Sidhe chest. "You are an obvious choice as you have the necessary training, but as you said, you are too useful."

"You could take over her duties in handling the agents," Mab said as she looked at Lea. "You have your own net that even I don't know everything about. And you are more powerful magically as well and know the deep, hidden Ways through the Nevernever."

"Indeed," Lea said with a predatory smile. "But I have a single request before I'm even willing to listen to the details."

"I feel like I won't like it," Sarissa said as her hair changed color to ice blue. "Auntie, you're not known for ideas."

Lea scoffed and looked at her former apprentice and daughter of her former lover and current liege. "I am the one that inspired the writers to make art about the Fae and Sidhe. That counts for something."

"Both of you, silence." Mab's voice rang across the chamber and they both looked at her. "I give you freedom because I trust your opinions and advice, but do not test me."

Lea bowed her head and then smiled. "What if I take the Mantle?" she asked with an impish smirk. "I know how to handle this power and I know how to use it. While Sarissa will be more useful as the Spymaster, I can teach her the Ways and pass onto her the relevant agents. The only thing I want is a more competent Knight." She paused. Whose brilliant idea was it to choose that animal as a Knight?"

"Maeve's," Sarissa said with a grimace. "For some reason she adores the worst scum out there and even more she adores giving them power they don't deserve."

"Well, he needs to be gone," Lea said. "I don't care whom you choose for the position, but he needs to be less insane and unstable. There is a reason why Summer Knight mostly hunts our agent instead of doing something useful."

"That can be done," Mab said and then looked at Lea. "How do you plan to eliminate my daughter?"

"Simple," Lea said with a smirk. "Your son. He will be the one that kills Maeve when the time is right. He has the power to sucker punch her as mortals love to say and she underestimates males."

Mab nodded and a cold smile appeared on her lips. "Very well, you have my blessing to kill her when you think the time is right."

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N – Lemons won't happen for ages to come, yes, they will happen, but not any time soon and there will be an ample warning. Now they're mostly having fun and discovering stuff, as well as hiding from some parts of the Court.**

 **Mab's actions are connected to it and something that shakes the ground, quite literary might happen soon.**

 **Reviews:**

 _Uzushiogakure_ – godhood stuff, no comment on that because spoilers. The darker side, it isn't necessarily darker side. It is more of the Sidhe attitude that says, you fucked me over, lied to me and betrayed, you shall suffer. It can be as simple as murdering the one that offended the Sidhe in question (Mab ordering Dresden to murder Maeve) or much subtler (Mab using Nicodemus to murder his daughter, Deidre, to punish him).


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N – Finally Aurora's arc gets limited a bit and soon Hogwarts come so fun, joy, studying and trying to build power base for Harry and not get murdered in a very violent manner.**

 **o-0-o**

Oberon was an ancient even by Fae standards. He was one of the first Sidhe to be formed, his memory was of the time when the humans barely mastered the knowledge of making iron weapons and founded first civilizations. He was a being as ancient and powerful as any of the Queens and they needed to listen to him as he was their peer and could pose a threat to them.

Last five centuries he spent licking his wounds after the scuffle with Mab and Titania when he was caught in one's bed with another. He winced at the memory, the burns and frostbite weren't the most pleasant of things to recover from.

He pushed those memories aside and put on his helmet, a beautiful piece of metal formed to resemble a silver head of a deer with massive silver antlers. With that done he gave a brief look his plate armor and seeing nothing out of place he nodded at the Sidhe standing on guard and the doors opened.

He strolled forward, into the throne room of Titania, the beings filling the room looking at him in awe and shock. For all people cared and knew he was dead, yet here he was in all of the glory of a ruler. Magic flowing around him and rolling off him in waves that filled the room with new energy and life.

"My Lady," he said, stopping in front of the double thrones. One of which was his. "I have returned."

"So have I heard," Titania coldly said, her eyes raging inferno of emotions. "I hoped you would have died."

"I didn't," Oberon said and allowed himself a warm, gentle smile. "And I want to claim my rightful place, at your side as the King of Summer and reclaim the Mantle I cast aside when you banished me."

Titania regarded him coldly and the vegetation around her started to wither and die. "My Lord, you have betrayed me in the past. Why should I believe you won't do it again?"

"Because the world is changing and they are rising," Oberon said and looked at the gathered crowd. "You all see the signs that the Fomor are coming, yet none of you dared to mention it to your queen." He shook his head. "The Summer grew soft and vain. I doubt there are fifty nobles that could accompany me on a hunt. Most of you would waste your time polishing your gear and comparing who has the more beautiful mount." He then looked at Titania, his eyes cold. "And you did nothing, My Lady?"

"I needed to oppose the Winter," Titania said and then added as an afterthought. "And the vampires."

"You are a fool!" Oberon roared, making everybody back away from him. "If the hosts were as strong as they ought to be, we wouldn't have this discussion. The Winter plays us as they want to. The Wyldfae do what they want to do. The Red Court doesn't know what fear is. Tell me, what can we do when the Fomor will come? Beg our cousins for help?" He shook his head and snorted before crossing the remaining space between him and the empty throne. "I believe it is a time for a change," he said as he sat down.

First nothing happened, but then after a second a sun exploded around his form. His silver and steel gray armor changed, a pattern of green and gold imprinting itself as he changed as well. His skin gained new shine, eyes burned with more power and energy, energy he didn't feel for few centuries entered his body.

"The time has cometh for a new age," he said and looked at Titania, a faint smile on his lips. "I think that Mother has a different idea about me taking my rightful throne."

"Indeed..., Oberon," Titania said and placed her hand on his. "I am willing to forget the past, if you help me lead the Court into the future."

Oberon smiled and removed helmet off his head, a diadem of fire and emeralds appearing in his golden hair. Then he leaned towards her and kissed her chastely on her cheek. "As you wish, Titania," he whispered and glanced at the creatures of the Court. "Do they really want our leadership?"

"I believe they want," Titania said and smirked. "After all, it was you who just attacked Copan and came out victorious and in a glory of a great warrior."

o-0-o

Harry bit his teeth into the meat of hare Aurora somehow managed to find in the mountains of snow and hissed a bit when he realized how hot it was. But it was good and he was hungry. He tore off a big chunk and swallowed before looking at Aurora. "I didn't know that hunting dinner was one of your tasks," he said jokingly.

"Normally I would have found something bigger, but I was in a hurry," Aurora said and smiled. "Being with you, naked or even partially. Is more pleasant than the snows and ice outside."

Harry nodded, hungrily eating the meat and then digging into the bones which crunched as they shattered and revealed the marrow. He sucked it out and looked around. He devoured more food than he could at Hogwarts and wouldn't mind even more.

"You are a Sidhe now," Aurora said and he looked at her. "We can burn some of our magic to silence hunger. But then we are more hungry, much more hungry than normally. I'm more surprised that you were so hungry as to eat marrow."

Harry blushed and then looked at the bones which had signs of his teeth on them. "How?"

"Hare bones are quite fragile and you gained some strength," Aurora said with a smile. "And again, magic. You wanted to crush the bones." Harry nodded at her. "Your magic acted upon your wish. Much of the magic we do is based on wishes and instincts. Humans lack the clarity of mind and purpose to use the magic the way we can. So the magic you were taught uses symbols, incantation and other aids to help you focus."

"So what would have happened if I tried to cast the same spells thinking what I want to achieve?"

"For you?" Aurora asked and Harry nodded. "Well, as far as I understand the magic. It would work the same way, maybe even better than with the gestures. For a human? Either it wouldn't work or it would work. But normally it wouldn't work."

"Interesting," Harry said as he cleaned his hands and leaned against the wall. "So," he grinned. "I'm very curious about your past and what being the handmaid of my sister means."

Aurora slipped to his side and kissed him on the cheek. "Handmaid is a name for a Sidhe that is her companion and lover," she said and ruffled Harry's hair, making him glare. "That was the original meaning of the title. Now it means an agent, a warrior and often an assassin. How to explain it. The court is a murky place, place where interests of many factions collide and often Sarissa needs someone to act in her name in a manner she cannot."

"And there you come," Harry muttered.

"Yes," Aurora said and sighed. "I did some horrid things in her name, well, they were better things than those that could have happened if I didn't act." Then a dark, unpleasant grimace appeared on her face. "The fact that it was Sarissa who saved me from your second sister put me in debt to her. Being a handmaid gives me an opportunity to have revenge and make Maeve's followers pay in blood."

"What did she do?" Harry asked as he wrapped his hand against Aurora's side. "I won't judge you," he whispered into her ear.

"Herself?" Aurora asked and he nodded. "Nothing, because the Mantle restricts her. Her servants on the other hand didn't have such limitations." Aurora sighed and then leaned against him. "Tell me, what could make me want to murder Maeve or at least help in making sure she stays dead?" Aurora asked quietly.

Harry's eyes widened as he felt a terrible feeling in his gut grow. He looked at Aurora and she nodded. "Did they..."

"Raped me?" she finished for him, venom flying with her voice. "Yes," she said and grimaced. "My father serves Maeve, so I was forced into her service because of family links. Then I failed to kill a vampire that annoyed Maeve and she decided that her thugs need to have fun."

Harry hugged her and smiled faintly when she rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he murmured, kissing her as his eyes darkened and a desire to kill his sister appeared in his mind.

"It's fine, Harry," Aurora murmured, gently kissing him. "Your sister helped me deal with it and being her handmaid and oft lover helped me." Aurora smiled more warmly, the venom gone from her voice as her hand sneaked under his shirt. "I don't want you to dwell on the past. I can tell you have some awful memories on your own and moving forth will help you."

"If you wish," Harry said as he curled his hands, his knuckles becoming white. Then he took a deep breath and pushed out the anger. "I like you and I don't want to see you suffer," he murmured and laid a gentle kiss on Aurora's cheek. "What my sister did makes me angry and I honestly won't care much if she dies."

"That's nice of you," Aurora smiled and rubbed his back, smiling impishly. "I hope that you are willing to talk about how I see our relationship look."

Harry smiled and gave her a look. "I'm willing to listen to what you have to say," he said and then kissed her. "Once that's done however, I wouldn't mind some fun."

Aurora hummed quietly and gently scratched his back. "Yes, we will need the fun. So, how to say it. Sidhe aren't creatures of a single lover and for most of the time we need to have different partners."

"Are you suggesting you will be cheating on me?" Harry asked as he shifted, the gaze of his eyes grew darker, less friendly and more ruthless, and the temperature in the cave changed. It became much colder and more oppressive as well.

Aurora shuddered from cold and wrapped herself in a blanket before looking at him. "I don't mean that love," she said and sighed uncomfortably. "Well, I mean it, but more that you and I no matter what we will do, we will have an urge to flirt with others or just sleep with them." She looked into Harry's eyes and then smiled. "Tell me, when you were at Hogwarts. Did you not flirt or make out with any other girl even if you did it with that Katie?"

Harry averted his gaze from Aurora's eyes and flushed. The words she sat stung him and were true, even if he didn't want to admit it.

"See?" She asked and kissed him on the cheek. "If we are together the urges should get weaker as we will sate ourselves. But we still will get them, just weaker and I don't want you to feel ashamed of this." She smirked and kissed him on the lips. "As long as I know that you want me first and love me, I won't greatly care with whom you spend a night or two."

"And at the same time you will be sleeping with everything that can jump into your bed?" Harry asked coldly. "I can see what you want and that I don't like. You want to sleep around with everything that fancies you and catches your attention."

Aurora recoiled and moved away from Harry. "Are you accusing me that I will lie and cheat on you?"

Harry smiled and shrugged. "You said moments before that Sidhe aren't the most faithful." His smile grew colder. "You want to limit with whom I sleep, yet you want to have no restrains?" He hissed.

Aurora moved away from him, the distance between them not only being a physical barrier. It was something more, something deeper and more pronounced. "Harry, I'm sorry for what I said," she said and he arched an eyebrow in question. "I don't want to cheat on you." She sighed and Harry could see her cold mask slip away. "Just last two or three years… I got used to finding lovers wherever I want, for however I long and Sarissa didn't care as long as I didn't reveal any secrets to them."

"My sister might not mind that," Harry said and allowed himself a smile. "But I will be very unhappy if you keep doing it." He paused and considered his words. "The rules you set for me are fair and I won't mind them." He allowed himself a grin. "If you also play by them and you stay honest with me and don't move behind my back. I have enough of that at Hogwarts, where some people pretend to be my friends, but do whatever pleases them and not me."

Aurora looked at him and let out a sigh. "Fine," she said and glared at him. "I don't like you forcing me to play by the rules."

"You like me too much not to agree to it," Harry said and grinned. "I can feel the way you think and feel about me."

Aurora smiled and moved closer to him. "Yes, it is true," she whispered and kissed him. "I want you and love you." A grin split her face. "And I don't want to lose the benefits that come with it."

"What benefits?" Harry asked with a frown. "My standing at the court isn't that high and so far Mab didn't acknowledge my existence to the Winter at large. So technically I have no power, even if I am her son."

Aurora snorted and playfully punched Harry in the shoulder. "Tell me, is Mab known for being careless and not planning everything? Do you really think she intends to have you with no formal power? Yes, the main power passed down the female line, but a powerful and loyal agent is still useful."

Harry arched an eyebrow in question and then realized that there perhaps was some truth to it. "So, why didn't I get any power until now?"

"Because there was no significant date where magic would be easy to wield," Aurora said and bit her lower lip in concentration. "Mab can use magic in the Nevernever however she wishes to. Whenever she wishes to. But, but crafting such a thing as a Mantle or simply giving you the power you need is a thing that is an exhausting thing. Even for the being that is as powerful as Mab. She will do it when the stars and planets are aligned or when some other good event happens. Like your birthday."

Harry's eyes widened as he started to calculate things in his mind. "It's not that far away," he said. "I know that she can screw the time however she wants, but it is like four or five weeks away."

"She did screw with time," Aurora said with a grimace. "I didn't realize it until you reminded me that the Queens can, but we are less than a week away. Which changes a bit our plans."

"Why?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Because we can't fool around as much here as I would desire to," Aurora said with a heavy sigh. "We need to be back in Tor in two or three days. Not in two or three weeks like I assumed originally."

"Ow," Harry said and kissed her. "What do we do?"

"Depends if you want fun or studying," Aurora said and smiled when she saw hunger in his eyes. "I think you want the fun."

"I won't mind it."

Aurora grinned and kissed him on the cheek. "You loved that game we played last time?" she whispered into Harry's ear and a shudder passed down his spine when he noticed she became more seductive.

"Y...yes," he said, shuddering and then he smiled. "It allowed me to relax and learn something. Probably the first time when I'm not forced to learn, but can however I need or want."

"Well, you could have said me earlier that me naked makes you so motivated and focused," she said with a purr. "Then I would have an ample opportunity to show you more of it."

Harry glanced at her, unsure if she said this in jest or was she more serious.

"Harry, you know that I don't have issues with being nude," Aurora said and kissed him on the cheek. "I want more making out with you than answer your question. One question and we strip of our pants and shirts?"

Harry smiled and looked at his girlfriend and lover and nodded. "I like it, besides. The sooner we are in Tor, the sooner we can sleep in the bed and have fun in more comfy place."

o-0-o

Leanansidhe's eyes flickered with amusement as she observed certain son of Mab and his lover, the two were interesting and quite an important element of the puzzle. An element of the puzzle not many major players knew about and even if knew about, factored into their existing plans.

Those two facts made Lea giddy with excitement at the idea of plots and schemes she could orchestrate and cause several annoying beings to have an unfortunate end. They didn't know that a major player was entering and once they knew it would be too late for them to do much about him other than react and that was exactly what Lea wanted.

If they reacted, not acted on their own, they would only make mistakes and hurried decisions, ones that were based oft on emotions, not on the cold analysis of facts and data. Lea felt Sarissa approach and only smirked. "Your brother is an interesting being. I know that Aurora can twist words as well as any Sidhe, yet he reads her like an open book."

"Heritage and family rubs off on him," Sarissa said casually, yet the sudden wariness in the movements wasn't missed by Lea. "He's also smart and she's in love with him. That tends to make harder to twist the truth."

"I remember quite vividly that Mab could dance around any subject, even when with her lover," Lea said and smiled. "Love can make you go wild, but it usually works both ways and shouldn't matter here."

"Aunt," Sarissa asked with a smile. "What are you suggesting?"

"That Harry's father is quite obvious once you know for what to look,"Lea said and smiled coldly. "It is a matter of time before someone puts the pieces together and figures out that perhaps it is a good time to visit Delphi."

"From what I know only Lara Raith so far guessed it. I think that the Merlin knows it, but he is a clever bastard and hides his secrets well."

"And she ensured that the only one that could tell the Reds anything more is in coma and lacking memory," Lea said before turning to look at her apprentice. "Tell me, what can you tell me about Harry?"

"He's lacking education, but that is being fixed and he has some significant magical potential."

"That potential will make his and our enemies wonder what exactly impregnated Mab," Lea said and grimaced. "I think it would be prudent to have a talk with Hades. He should be able to put an end to the rumors and gossips on Olympus and that should stop them for a moment."

"Not Summer. They have guessed that his father is Greek and they got that from the Erlking. Before you go on rampage and try to strike the Erlking," Sarissa said and Lea looked at her. "He was forced to do it by Titania herself. You don't say no to a Queen, especially not to a Queen you owe favors to." Then the younger Sidhe allowed herself a smile. "Do you know that Oberon, the King of Summer returned?"

Lea looked as if a thunder struck her, but then she quickly recovered and focused her gaze on Sarissa. "Oberon? One that at one point slept with Titania and Mab at the same time?"

"And was burned and frozen alive when his lovers found out who's the other girl in his bed?" Sarissa asked and Lea nodded, giggling as if she remembered some fond memory. "Yes, the same one. I saw him in the Wild Hunt and he seemed more powerful than he ought to be."

"He is as old as the Winter and Summer, he's not as old as the Mothers. But he is of the age of Titania and Mab. The older Sidhe gets, the more power they can muster and have finer control over their existing. And when was the time he was chased by Titania and Mab?"

"Some five or four centuries ago."

"Closer to five than to four," Lea said and then smiled. "He had five centuries to do things we don't even know about. And considering he was thought dead by everybody, he wanted this period of seclusion. And why would a deity or a Sidhe want to be forgotten?"

"To plan and prepare for something," Sarissa said and nodded to herself. "He seemed to have some greater purpose coming now."

"It might be connected to Harry and Mab's plans. There is that fifth Mantle, the sibling of one used by Oberon and it lacks the owner."

"If he claims the Summer Mantle there is no imbalance and when Harry gets the Mantle on his birthday he will be more powerful if the Summer Mantle was without its proper holder."

"The imbalance wouldn't be that significant," Lea said and pointed at the ceiling. "The problem is there. Lloyd Slate is a slab of ice and acquiring new Knight is going to take time. He is most stubborn individual and coercing him to take the Mantle will take time and effort."

"Didn't you warn Dresden not to come to the Stone Table?" Sarissa asked as she analyzed Lea. "I quite vividly remember watching you, when Mab and Titania were preparing to fight during that mess with Slate, take Dresden to the Stone Table and warn him against getting anywhere close to it."

"And I would still warn him against it," Lea said with a scoff. "As a godmother, yes, I want him as far away from it as I can manage. As a loyal servant of the Winter Court, I want him as close to it as I can. The list of beings we can give the Mantle of the Winter Knight is short. His mother would have taken it if she wasn't dead. His grandfather, probably would agree. Morgan, maybe. The rest... I don't trust to do anything good."

"There are humans and changelings to use, too."

Lea let out a sigh and looked pointedly at the ceiling. "Tell me, what did we get from Slate? Several nobles wanting his head, few daughters of their raped and a rabid beast that was defeated by a young wizard that lacked in skill." She shook her head angrily. "Maeve can have her beasts. I want a tool that has a mind and conscience and knows how to use both."

Sarissa nodded and glanced at the thing Lea was watching before smiling and leaving. "My Lady, I will allow you to enjoy yourself."

o-0-o

Harry sat on the floor of the cave only in his underwear and looked at Aurora with a cocky smirk. "Bring on the question, love," he said and grinned. "I want you more naked."

Aurora smiled and eyed his naked torso. "Well, your love life is more interesting than I assumed it to be." She chuckled and sipped some of the mead they didn't manage to finish yet. "So, that Katie Bell and you. She sounds very interesting and I wouldn't mind hearing more about her and what you did with her."

"I told you," Harry said with a smirk. "We touched and kissed each other after the matches to help us relax and enjoy each other."

"Ooh," Aurora purred and leaned closer to Harry. "Tell me you did something more than touch her through that thick robe you need to wear at that school of yours."

"We did," Harry said and blushed. "She's fit and has a toned body I quite enjoyed touching and she plays as the Chaser. A position that requires a lot of physical fitness and agility as you toss around a heavy ball and dodge two balls keen on murdering you."

Aurora let out a happy, mewling noise and kissed Harry on the cheek as she trailed her hand down his chest. "She's a person I want to meet," she whispered into Harry's ear and didn't protest when his hands started to pull down her pants. "She's desirable, strong and seems smart and a person that might be fun in bed as well."

Harry flushed as he managed to pull down Aurora's pants and started to work on her shirt. Her hands slipping all over his body and exploring everything she wanted to touch didn't help him much. And her kissing and pressing herself against him helped even less. "You should be able to," he managed to say as he gasped for breath. "Once we are at Hogwarts... I'll introduce you two."

"You better do it," Aurora said and pressed herself against his body. A lustful, happy moan getting out of his mouth. "Or your life will be hell."

Harry moaned and rolled on, getting Aurora underneath and letting him enjoy some kind of power and dominance over her. "Aurora, I can also make your life hell," he said with a chuckle. "As you said, I have power, just need to claim it."

Aurora's eyes shone like two stars and she drove her knee into Harry's crotch. "Don't get cocky," she muttered soothingly into his ear as she rubbed his back. "Now, just enjoy the time when we are away from the court."

o-0-o

The moment they returned to Arctis Tor they were summoned by Mab and after barely cleaning themselves and getting into more comfortable and practical clothes they followed a silent noble that took them to top of the main spire of the fortress. There amidts a collection of ice sculptures, victims of Mab's ire and crucified form of Lloyd Slate they found Mab, Sarissa and Leanansidhe waiting for them.

"Who's she?" Harry asked in a whisper as he looked at Leanansidhe.

"Leanansidhe, Sidhe famous for sending inspiration on human artists and then murdering them," Aurora said and added after a moment. "She's also an advisor, an ally and an old _friend_ of your mother." Then Aurora's eyes swept across the space around. "They're only lacking Maeve to have all the movers and shakers of the Winter."

"Who won't be joining us today," Mab said as she finally noticed their presence. "Your sister is not welcomed in this fortress and I don't have a desire to see her sabotage the plans I made and put in motion. Besides, her fate is sealed and the new Lady was already chosen."

Harry winced at the hostility and coldness in Mab's voice. It felt as if she didn't care about Maeve and wanted her dead. He also had his reasons to see his sister dead, but Mab's hostility was rolling off her in waves.

"Yes," Mab said coldly. "She will die. The question is only when and how. However for now she doesn't matter. Harry, how many Mantles each court has?"

"Four, Mother, Queen, Lady, Knight," Harry said without thinking.

"It has five," Leanansidhe said as she gracefully moved forward, nimbly navigating between the frozen beings and trees. "The three for the Queens, one for the Knight and one for the Prince or King of the Court." She stopped behind Harry and placed her hands on his shoulders. "The last one wasn't used for over five centuries because Oberon, holder of it for the Summer, had been cast out of his court. Now he is back and he took the Mantle."

Harry swallowed and looked at Lea and then at Mab. "And you want me to take the Mantle for the Winter."

"On your birthday to be exact at the midnight of that day," Mab said and looked at Lea. "It will be the moment when the magic is the easiest to channel for you and for me to pass upon you. And it is your fifteenth birthday, for many cultures you would be an adult now, a thing that further makes this even more fortunate time."

"Also, the stars are aligned and the raid we launched at the vampires acquired what we lacked," Lea added. "A sacrificial altar bathed in so much blood of the innocent slain by the vampires. Their blood screams for vengeance against the vampires and anything will trigger the dormant power."

"Nothing works as well as a blood of innocents," Mab said and Harry looked at her. "White Christ? He was innocent, yet his death did so much. As I said. Blood or death of an innocent being has power." She smiled and looked at Lea. "Do you think he needs to know anything more?"

"No."

o-0-o

Harry cuddled in his bed against Aurora and sighed. "What can I expect from the Mantle?"

"It's a forgotten one," Aurora said and looked at him. "I looked through what I could find and there is really not much about it. It will boost your magic, physical prowess and change you physically. Beyond that not much should happen, which is good."

"Why?"

"Because the Mantles for the Queens warp the way they see the world. Or try to." Aurora smiled faintly and kissed him. "I like you the way you are and don't want to see you changed. The Mantle might affect your instincts, but I don't think it is that powerful as that of one of the Queens."

"It's all complicated," Harry said and sighed. "I wish I could have my early life, without all of the Unseelie and Seelie mess. Even at Hogwarts it could be tough, now I feel like it is a lot worse at times and at others better."

"Can you do something?" Aurora asked and he looked up. "Stop whining and think about the benefits. The change. I understand, it is shocking, but you need to deal with it and accept it."

Harry shook his head and the moment it rested against Aurora's shoulder he fell asleep.

o-0-o

When the day of his birthday came it passed extremely ordinary for Harry as outside of a large party which allowed him to meet and greet upper echelons of the Sidhe nobility. Most of which was excited about the chance to finally see him and test him in one way or another. A thing that made Aurora roll her eyes in amusement at their attempts as many were so crude it was plain and obvious it was a test.

But then the midnight came and a loud chime of the bell broke the silence. "It's the time," Aurora said as she grasped him by his elbow and gently guided out of the massive hall. "You need to change and then there is the sacrifice."

Harry nodded and stripped out of his clothes before putting on loose robes of a priest. They were made out of rough wool and were easy to remove. He looked at his bare chest and then he glanced at the scabbard of the knife held by Aurora. "The sacrificial dagger?"

"An athame to be precise," she said as she slid the blade out of its scabbard. It was made out of some dark, glassy stone and had rough edges. "Almost as old as Winter."

Harry gently grasped the blade and shuddered as he felt how much raw power was hidden in the simple weapon. It was old, the leather grip was worn out and the blade seemed dull, but it had the power nothing he ever touched has.

"Come," Aurora said as she looked at the sky visible through the ceiling. "We need to hurry."

They jogged through the corridors of the fortress and then up the slope of a nearby mountains where hundreds of nobles gathered. Torches marked out a path that led to the summit, around which clouds swirled and magic flowed.

The gazes of nobles they passed were feral. They no longer were the beautiful and graceful, they were ferocious and predatory. Showing the true nature of the Unseliee as the predators and hunters. Some seemed ready to pounce, the hunger and rage in their eyes barely controlled by the presence of their liege.

"That's how many of us look," Aurora said, whispering into Harry's ear. "More predatory, more dangerous and more inhuman than normally."

Harry nodded and then he approached the steps carved in the slope. They were weathered and showed signs of wear and tear, the water, the ice and the wind slowly damaging them over the eons. The pair of trolls standing there on guard moved aside and he passed, starting to climb the several dozens of steps that led to the summit.

He could already make out the shapes of nine pillars of stone, each of them covered in swirling and changing pattern of runes and sigils. The power contained within them was colder, more primal than Mab's and much older. A lightning streaked across the skies and his eyes widened when he saw something, someone in a black robe with a good pulled over the head stood between two of the pillars.

Something about whatever it was was unnatural. The power around it was pushing Harry away and it felt alien in a way. Cold and distant. All of Winter power was cold, but it wasn't distant, he needed a thought and it was at his disposal. Here he couldn't reach for his powers, as if something was blocking them.

"Yes," the hooded being said, it's voice raspy and old, yet oddly feminine. "I am stopping your powers."

"How?!" Harry asked with a hiss as he pulled on what magic he could and sent forth a blast of ice and cold.

The being didn't even move and the spell didn't even reach it. "I thought that Mab taught you more respect," the being tsked and then Harry was liften by some invisible force and flung forth. "To be attacked in the place I made. The fortress I built."

Harry gulped and tried to free himself when he felt a bony hand grasp him by the neck and drag him closer. He tried to kick away, using his magic to enhance the power of his strikes. All he got for all his troubles was an angry gesture and his legs were frozen in place.

"Much better," the being said and Harry could swear he saw a smile under the heavy hood. "You're stubborn and foolhardy. A lot like your mother. Yet you have more of your father's intelligence. Good."

Harry gasped for breath and then his eyes widened as he realized who or rather what was holding him.

"Yes, it is me," the being said and laughed. "The Mantles come from me and since this one wasn't used for last few centuries I decided to see who's the foolish one wanting to claim it. Oberon is close to my age and he has the knowledge and power. You are a youngling, one that lacks the power and wisdom."

Harry gulped and grimaced when the fingers dug into his throat. He could still breath, if only barely. He slowly moved his own hands, trying to grasp the fingers holding him and then bend them away.

"I don't want to see you killed," the being said and chuckled. "I want to test you. Tell me, young one, will you serve the Winter or will you pursue your own agenda? Or maybe that of your father."

Harry gasped before he managed to find the words he wanted to say. "I will serve the Winter," he said and swallowed. "It is the place that accepted me and gave me a sense of belonging."

The being smiled and then tightened the grip on his neck, almost choking him. "I will be watching you. You make a mistake and I will be the first one to snap your neck the moment you betray the Winter."

Then the being, one Harry realized was Mother Winter, was gone and he dropped to the ground. Breathing heavily and trying to regain his composure. After a moment he got up and climbed the remaining steps leading to the altar.

The altar was a large stone table engraved with glyphs and covered in rust red coloration of old blood. At three of the four cardinal directions stood Mab, Sarissa and Lea. All of them stone faced and silent. Their bodies didn't move, only their eyes flickered to Harry when he came to the altar.

"We may begin," Mab said, breaking the silence. "Bring the offering," she snapped at the pair of Sidhe standing behind her.

They rushed forward, a bound and tied creature between them. After a moment Harry realized it was a Red Court vampire. They placed the creature on the altar and tied it, its struggles and attempts to break free ignored by them.

"Do you wish to ascent and claim the Mantle of the Prince?" Mab asked, her eyes focused on Harry.

"I do," Harry said and gulped as he guessed what would come next.

"Make the sacrifice and with the blood of the offering the power will come," Mab said and then looked at the vampire. "May the blood of the vampire appease the victims of the Red Court."

Harry approached the altar, his hand gripping the athame. With the other he gripped the head of the creature and yanked its head back, fully exposing the neck. Then he brought down the knife and the moment it pierced the skin and blood gushed out a flood of power hit Harry.

It was burning him, yet at the same time he felt as if some deep chill settled in his bones and muscles. It was the power of the Mantle, pouring into his body and transforming him. His muscles became tougher, stronger and grew in size as his bones lengthened and changed. Becoming more resilient and at the same time lighter, giving him the raw power and the agility a true Sidhe needed.

Some changes were more pronounced and obvious, his pitch black hair grew in length and changed in color, becoming a mix of silver and black while his eyes gained a colder, darker glean to them. No longer they were shining emeralds filled with joy and happiness. Now they were cold and calculating. The joy and happiness was still there, but it was hidden and what most people now see were two balls of green ice.

Harry let out a scream of anguish and pain and drove the blade to the hilt into the neck of the struggling vampire. The blood coated his fingers, yet he didn't care about it as more power rushed into him and he roared. The grip of the knife slipping out of his fingers before he crashed against the table and passed out.

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N – For those worrying what happened in the material world, it will be the focus of the next chapter. Generally the next chapter should bring back to speed Sirius, Hogwarts, the Senior Council and their plotting, maybe the Knights will do some carving and probably Dresden as he causes havoc wherever he is and attracts said havoc.**

 **And now we have a mad butterfly effect going everywhere, combined with the Red Court being in a state of shock which can lead to interesting actions. More importantly the Fae courts as a whole are gaining massive amounts of power, Oberon can go – Nope, you're dead – and unless he is facing a god, that thing is just dead.**

 **Harry has the potential for that, but now is loads of power and loads of magic, but no finer control and knowledge. But a sufficiently powerful crude spell will work as well as something subtler that closes a single vein in the brain. It's just a matter of how much can they last and what will they be able to beat.**

 **Reviews:**

 _Ferocious Nightfury_ – what is dark and what is light is complicated in Dresden. Are Unseelie evil? Kinda, are they dark? Nope, no, nein, niet, nie and so on. They guard the Outer Gates and keep the violence between powers civilized.

They are cold, ruthless, predatory, extremely dangerous and even lethal, but aren't inherently evil. They come across as evil due to what they do and how they do it. But compared to what the Black and Red Courts or even Fomor do, they're cute and friendly.

They're a force of Order and do everything to keep that Order existing, even if it means doing some horrid things. They're not that far away from the God-Emperor from 40k when it comes to their willingness to do stuff.

 _CynicArchon_ – as long as it is sibling murder directly or indirectly their other sibling it is fratricide. Well, as long as it is proved that they were behind it. For example, I lure my brother under a hanging piece of masonry and someone 'accidentally' drops it onto his head and gets away. Did I do anything? *whistles and smiles innocently*

 _Uzushiogakure_ – it will get worse when Harry comes there. In the Nevernever attacking him is not a question of if it fail, but how soon it fails and how badly Mab will retaliate. In Hogwarts the amount of paths of attack, of choices and options grows. From Potion Making accidents, through old and tested poisoning, to good old lover in bed slicing his neck open when he is dazed by pleasure.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N – This chapter happens more or less alongside the last one. Some bits are from before it, but the majority happens at the same time and the ending pushes the time a little bit. It is more laid back, but there is still a fair bit of action and some characters show what they can do on the battlefield.**

 **Also since it isn't clear for some people. I kicked the start of Hogwarts to 13 to have more freedom with behaviors and such and be allowed to have more fun with the characters.**

 **o-0-o**

A single ripple in the pond can cause much more impact than at first glance it seems feasible. Lara Raith contemplated that sentence as she scanned the documents recovered from the Red Court strongholds. The strikes from the Winter Court, Lara chuckled in amusement, Wild Hunt, wrecked their confidence and made them pull back.

The income from the European estates would most likely at least triple and that was including giving the White Council a fair share of the cake. It was a necessary concession to keep them away from the Court and besides, she didn't need the money making corporations the Council desired. She needed data, she had data and knew how to use it, she could get the money.

With grabbing the entertainment and media and the shady businesses owned by the Reds or their puppets she could still remain in the shadows. Acquiring the publicly traded companies or those privately owned and large was far harder to do without getting attention. The Council was far more scattered and had the council as the leader. A thing that gave them a leevay when it came to hiding many weird transactions.

For the Raiths it was more complicated at once as the human puppets could be traced back to her and getting many new companies on her own made certain institutions too curious and focused on her.

"Studying the ledgers?" Thomas asked, sneaking into the room and Lara looked at him. "I never expected to see you do this, sis."

"Well, our father is locked in his chamber and it is me who rules the Court now, brother," Lara said and her eyes flickered with irritation. "Your remarks don't help me much. This operation was supposed to be clean, subtle and stay in the shadows. So far we've had several gangs at war! That's not good."

Thomas winced and looked at the map pinned to the wall of her office. "Greece and Italy are getting under control. Some idiot got the Sons of Carthage involved. Whilst in Greece, easy progress. Italy...the interesting part of the Giovanni are not happy with us," he said and she could see how weary he was. "The governments want peace and the Reds got quite a bit of attention from the militaries there. It didn't go as smoothly as it should have, but we avoided most of the chaos."

"That's better. I'll have a mission for you. In Scotland, in an almost forgotten castle there is a school of magic. One attended by that son of Mab. I need more information from that place. Well, information and influence."

"Am I supposed to seduce the principal and sleep with them?" Thomas asked with an arrogant smile.

"Not quite." Lara allowed herself a smirk. "What you need is to take several million pounds from one of our accounts, exchange into the strange currency they use and donate it to the headmaster out of goodness of your heart. They're the kind of society wealth makes right and we have more than enough cash to gain partial control over the school."

Thomas frowned and then looked back at the map. "Isn't Madame Zabini supposed to have some control over it? I thought that it was one of reasons why we keep her around."

"She does. But her gaining the control over the school would make other wizards out there look weirdly at her. You can pass as a wealthy, generous and foreign wizard that wants to be charitable and share his wealth with an educational institution."

"And be your dutiful pawn," Thomas said with a smile.

"That is something obvious, brother," Lara said and then tapped her finger against the desk. "Actually, first, we will need to have a talk with Madam Zabini and our agents there. I don't know the environment well enough to give you detailed instructions and this is one of the projects I want to reap benefits over time. They are almost completely isolated from the White Council, but close to the power levels of their weaker members."

"And you want to get a big slice of this cake for us," Thomas said. "The wizards would boost our potential and let us have more options."

"More I don't want the Reds or the Blacks to grab it," she said and grimaced. "Or the Fomor. The Winter seems to be expecting them to be a problem soon and they need manpower. Marcone ran into them a time or two and I don't want them to grab this castle. It is anchored in the Nevernever and the wards are strong and dislodging them would be a massive undertaking."

"While giving them a lot of wizards to kidnap and indoctrinate them. That would kill the Council, the Red Court drains them of the manpower and around a thousand wizards assaulting the Hidden Halls would be a death blow."

"Exactly," Lara said and then walked to the map before tapping Hogwarts. "We will need to negotiate a treaty with the White Council so that we can scour the world for the children with sufficient potential to be trained into something useful. The Merlin will snarl and growl, but the rest of the Council should agree to that." Seeing Thomas frown she pinned him with her eyes. "We never had issues with the Council and considering the coming chaos, we need them as strong as we can manage. The chance that they turn on us is small and we can't be known to be growing magical muscles."

"Lara, I know that you want to be building the world based on the power sharing with the Council and the Sidhe, but, do you really believe they will want to work with us?"

"I don't think that initially there will be a desire or need," she said, her eyes clouding. "The Senior Council won't see one, probably never. However the wizards that do the dirty work and know how badly out of manpower they are will be happy to have some manpower to work with."

"Fair enough," Thomas said and then looked at the map. "How do you plan to do it?"

"Slowly and carefully," Lara said, frowning. "I believe that Mab might be the one that can get us to work together. She is the one that sees the reasons and logic, while emotions are less of an issue for her. She's feared by the Council and at the same time they want her support, so she can make them behave."

Thomas nodded and looked at the map of the world. His thoughts wandering as he tried to grasp the idea his sister was trying to make work. He worked enough with the Wardens to know that it would be a huge miracle if it worked.

o-0-o

Daphne tsked in annoyance and discreetly looked up from her book, her gaze drawn to Hermione who was getting buried in various obscure tomes and scrolls many didn't know existed. That girl was a problem and wandered towards some very dangerous ideas and theories, personally, Daphne didn't care much about what Hermione read. However she greatly cared about Lara being happy and that meant keeping an eye on those trying to dig up data on Mab.

"She's stubborn," Daphne muttered with a sigh. "Stubborn and too damn smart for her own safety."

"I doubt she will share what she knows with anybody," Blaise said as he joined Daphne. "For me she's the type to hoard away knowledge and don't share it easily. Frankly, she's the least of our worries for now."

"Bloody Lions," Daphne muttered as she scribbled down some notes. "They got unhappy over Snape eliminating that spy. Even if it was for their own safety. They will be our doom one day."

"I never know that their hostility against our house could get even worse. They seem to lack any ability to think."

"It was worse in the time of our parents," Daphne said as she moved behind a shelf and out of the way of few fourth year students. "They had duels in the corridors and few people died. This is more subdued and more restrained."

"I think they fear Dumbledore."

Daphne scoffed. "That old wizard favors the Lions whenever he can. Last year House Cup was a clear example of that. The points for the Weasley, Granger and Potter were biased. I bloody know he favors the Boy-Who-Lived and his lackeys, but seriously. He could have been subtler and did it differently."

"He likes to show off," Blaise pointed out. "He is as much of a wizard, as he is a politician and an artist. He needs to have the attention."

Daphne muttered something under her breath and gave him a look. "You are probably right," she said. "Just, I'm used to the Raith style of making politics. Stay in the shadows, thrust dagger when you need and use plenty of bribes."

"At least Dumbledore has more finesse than the Malfoys. Their approach makes me want to vomit or piss onto their shiny, gold-plated boots."

Daphne chuckled at this, but then quickly grew serious. "Sirius Black escaped Azkaban and dad mentioned that the aurors that tried to apprehend him met troubles. Malfoys might not be pleased with that. After all, if he is free, he has his family fortune and power."

"And with that they won't be able to strut around like peacocks." Blaise frowned and Daphne looked at him, studying the suddenly serious expression. "That Sirius was arrested right after death of Voldemort was quite fortunate for a lot of families."

"With male line extinct they could go back to the politics they all loved. Not looking at what the Black says and what he thinks about them. Potter dead, was fortunate too. Same as Harry landing with that family."

"I wonder...," Blaise trailed off. "How much of it was arranged and how much was a simple accident. Once is an accident, two is suspicious, three, I won't buy shit about any unfortunate event."

"Probably quite a bit," Daphne said and then looked at him. "Can you send your dear mother a letter? Ask her to take a look at the Black's, Malfoys and other important families. Or even ask Lara to make her people go over it."

"I can," Blaise said and smiled. "I was about to write a report. I can add that."

Daphne nodded and went back to the very boring and repetitive watching of Hermione. That girl should really stop hoarding the knowledge and books. Her search could quickly lead into dangerous areas and Daphne was quite surprised nobody tried to tell her to stop. She wasn't sure who were the spies on the payroll of the Faerie courts, but they really were lenient in keeping an eye on trouble or what was more probable didn't know that girl was such a threat to their courts.

o-0-o

"Bloody idiots," Snape snarled as he pushed aside third year Lion. "Learn your place in the pecking order."

"Some kindness can change everything," Flitwick said and Snape glared at the diminutive professor. "I was your teacher, Severus, trust someone who has been teaching for more than you live."

"What do you want?" Snape asked as they both walked towards the dungeons.

"The accident of Mr Thomas is quite peculiar," Flitwick said with a smile and Snape tensed. "I asked one of my friends to recreate the potion used on that unfortunate day. The results are quite peculiar and he ruled out the probability of a student causing such an accident." The smile became even more predatory. "Tell me, who did pay you to sabotage Mr Thomas' work?"

"I don't know what are you talking about," Snape said as he shoved his emotions behind Occlumency shields. "Nobody paid me to sabotage his potion."

Flitwick shook his head in amusement. "You never was a good liar. Your Occlumency is nigh on impossible to see through. But there are other things I watch for. So, tell me and I won't bring in the aurors."

"White Court and the Fae," Snape said as he looked around. Trying to spot any curious busy bodies. "Mr Thomas is a spy on the payroll of something I'm not comfortable having in the school."

"The Red Court?" Flitwick asked, his teeth showing in a grim smile. "I thought that they were chased away from the school. The Halls kept them away in the past."

"The War was going bad for the Council," Snape said and shrugged. "The Red Court decided to push into Europe and somehow coerced Mr Thomas to be their spy. I don't know how he was convinced, but that I don't greatly care about."

Flitwick nodded and then changed the topic. "What about Ms Granger? There is something strange about her. I know that I have felt something similar in the past, just am unable of telling where and from whom."

Snape froze in place and looked at Flitwick. "So I'm not the only one seeing things and signs." He shook his head and sneered. "The Headmaster knows, even if he pretends he doesn't know."

"Not for the first time," Flitwick said. "At least the next DADA professor ought to be a more competent one."

"Do you know whom he will be hiring?"

"No. He said that this time he will ensure that they possess some competences and aren't frauds or possessed idiots."

o-0-o

Sirius stepped out of the Nevernever and smiled as his companion for this business joined him. Leanansidhe looked like a proper lady ought to look and her flowing dress in the colors of winter was getting all the attention. While nobody seemed to spare a glance at Sirius, a thing that meant a lot at the moment as he technically was a wanted criminal.

"So this is the Diagon Alley," Lea said and he nodded, gently inclining his head. "I was expecting something grander."

"It is cozy and friendly," Sirius said as he looked around. "I'm surprised that nobody spotted us."

"I cast a veil to hide us. They think that we are two average wizards." She smiled in a manner that could send a wizard running away screaming. "I love attention. Getting attacked by madmen screaming at me is not an idea I like."

Sirius smiled and nodded as he looked towards a grand marble edifice. A pair of goblins at the entrance looked keenly at them, as if the veil didn't matter. "That's the bank, the Gringotts. They hoard all of the gold, gems and other wealth."

"Goblins?" Lea asked as her eyes flickered to the guards. "They are violent and brutal, but not known for sleeping on gold."

Sirius looked at her and shrugged. "They were always managing our bank. I never had issues with them, but some people were murdered by them. When they tried to steal the gold."

"That is interesting, very interesting," Lea said with a small smile. "They don't feel to me the way the servants of the Erlking do."

"What are they then?" Sirius asked as he walked across the street and towards the entrance.

"I don't know," Lea said and her eyebrow arched when the goblins pointed their spears at her. "Now, this is unexpected."

"Peace," Sirius said and the goblins looked at him. "Leanansidhe is an ally of my and I have utmost trust in her."

The goblins looked at him, then at her and then lowered the spears. "You don't know the threat she is. But we trust you and won't bar you access."

Sirius nodded and then strode forward, passing between the guards as if they were below him and not worth his attention. "Are your veils supposed to be seen through by everybody?"

"No. I didn't use the most complicated ones. I used one that shouldn't be noticed by most people." She tsked in annoyance. "The goblins that I'm familiar with wouldn't be able to see through it."

"Those can," Sirius said and then approached the counter, showing the key to his account with the coat of arms of his family. "I wish to speak with my family accountant."

"Mr Black?" the goblin asked, its eyes slightly widened and at the same time Sirius could see some curiosity and hunger in them.

"Yes," Sirius said and gestured at Lea who stood behind him. Her disguise shed and her true Sidhe beauty revealed. "Leanansidhe will accompany me to the meeting."

"Of course, Mr Black," the goblin said and rang a bell. "Please, wait, your accountant will come for you."

o-0-o

Ebenezer McCoy was ancient by human standards, he walked the world since before the Seven Years War in then New World. Since that time he grew in power and wisdom, climbing to the position of the Warden Commander during the rise of Kemmler. He was given the Blackstaff, the only weapon in the arsenal of the Council that allowed one to kill fellow humans with no repercussions. And now he was a member of the Senior Council, a body of seven of the most powerful, oldest and most politically connected and richest wizards that ruled the White Council.

He was feared by a great many people and beings, while at the same time respected and loved by even more. The position of the Blackstaff and Champion of the White Council drew attention and it was hard not to be noticed. Especially now when the war with the Red Court was going on.

However the conflict with the vampires was one thing, less important now, especially with them getting butchered by the Wild Hunt. What was more important was the growing rott, corruption and discord inside of the Council. Some members started to get complacent and cared more about their own goals and interests, instead of those of the humanity and the Council.

He pulled the hood to shade his face and stepped into the light. It hurt him that he needed to conceal his identity from the fellow wizards and allies when wanting to save the Council. Yet the Enemy was out there and he was too precious to risk getting killed by some lucky shot.

"My Lord," he muttered as he approached the other being in the room. A man with a mane of storm gray hair, single blue eye and second covered by an eyepatch.

"Blackstaff," Odin vel Donar Vadderung vel Kringle grunted. "I didn't expect you so soon."

"The Red Court is broken for the next few weeks, so I have time to pull away from the fighting." Ebenezer grimaced. "We lost too many good Wardens and wizards and can't easily replace them."

"They're gutted out worse," Odin said with some satisfaction. "The attacks from the Fae, White Court and other groups hurt them even more. Two Lords of the Outer Night dead has a huge impact on them. You know how we can use our will to make lesser beings follow us?" Ebenezer nodded. "The vamps need it more desperately than I or Mab. Human mercenaries they so love are breaking when you show them enough horrors of the Nevernever."

"So they use the Lords and Dukes to put the pressure on them and keep them going until they are dead."

"Yes. The more of them are dead. The more issues with keeping in line the troops there will be. However the Red King will grow desperate if we butcher too many of them. He already is willing to commit his forces to something drastic as long as he secures some victory."

"He has been hammering us hard in Asia," Ebenezer said and then focused his gaze on Ebenezer. "But the War is not why I'm here."

"The Black Council as you call it?" Odin grunted. "Hard to say what will they do and when. I don't think they factored in the sudden activity on part of the Faerie courts. They didn't expect them and now are scattered."

"Not only they didn't expect the Fae to be so effective. We tried to crack open Copan, we achieved nothing. The fact that the Erlking scoured it clean, butchered the garrison and killed the army passing through it shook us."

"That was a thing to predict," Odin said and Ebenezer looked at him. "The Winter is building up its forces and potential. For that they need more raw material and recruits. Thralls let them shift some of their Fae away from work and train them. Herne the Hunter is the only lord that can organize a large enough raid and is independent so they can claim they didn't orchestrate it."

"Perhaps it is a time for me to seek out Lara Raith and Mab and negotiate with them," Ebenezer said and felt Odin's gaze focus on him. "They are trustworthy and should be a good addition to the Council."

"You're playing a dangerous game, Eb. They are trustworthy, but might scare away a lot of other allies. Not everybody fancies working with sexual predators and blood-thirsty Sidhe."

o-0-o

"Albus!" Harsh voice of Professor McGonagall cut like a whip and Professor Dumbledore jerked in his seat at it. "Can you for once stop plotting and scheming and exposing students of the school to danger?"

"My dear," Dumbledore said with his best grandfatherly smile. "Sometimes it is a thing I can't avoid."

"You can limit it," she said. "And keep most of it as far away from students as you can. The Chamber of Secrets… You knew about it."

"I suspected," he said and sighed. "I planned to tell Harry once he climbed out about its history and the tale of the Sword of Gryffindor. Now he is out of our reach and all I can do is limited the mess we are in. The beings that are out there are dangerous, much more dangerous than the Ministry wants to admit."

"You didn't need to bring their conflicts into the school."

"If I didn't bring what I brought, we would have a much more toxic environment. The more violent ones I made stay out of school, the less so are careful in not drawing my attention." McGonagall gave him a glare that would scare a weaker person, but he ignored it. "Minerva, I really would have preferred the school without them, but it is impossible now. Too many beings want to know what is happening here and I can do nothing about it."

"I won't let you injure my students anymore," McGonagall stated and stormed out of the office.

Her robes flowed around her as she walked down the stairs. The moment she came out of the hidden stairwell, students scattered. Her furious expression sending many of them screaming in panic as they thought they did something wrong. She ignored them all and went into her office. There she finally calmed down, her emotions subduing and she managed to think. As Deputy Headmistress she had some power and could greatly annoy those that tried to have vile intentions towards the school. She would need to refresh her knowledge of the castle and the magic worked into it, but there ought to be something she could use.

o-0-o

Ron moved the chess piece and looked at the board. Nobody wanted to play with him. Dean was unconscious. Seamus and Nevill weren't interested and Harry was missing. He let out a sigh and toppled the piece before looking at his rat.

Scabbers lost some of its weight and now slept for most of the time. As if something stressed him. Not that Ron blamed the rat very much. Last few weeks were hell and he lost Harry and even Hermione ignored him.

She spent the days in the library and she barely had time to talk with her in class. Even if she talked she didn't pay him much attention. Always focused on something else. He was mad at her, she didn't know a thing about wizarding world and ignored him, even if he knew so much more. She ought to listen to him and pay some attention to what he said.

He shook his head, playing mindlessly with a rook. She was going to end in troubles. He could tell that. She would make enemies with her bookworm attitude and sooner or later that would cost her dearly.

Harry would have understood and would have managed to convince her. Yet he was missing and nobody knew where he was. Some knew, the Professors knew. That much Ron was sure about, they always knew things and kept them hidden from students. He sighed and returned to toying with the chess pieces, there was nothing more he could do now.

o-0-o

White Court security is over the top, Blaise thought as he watched four heavily armed mercenaries and a vampire follow them to the mansion. He never expected Lara Raith to come to Britain, yet she did it and the meetings were less of a hassle to organize. Fly on the brooms for few hours was more interesting that the portkey they used the last time.

"Are there always so many guards?" Daphne asked, her eyes flickering to the guards they passed. "There are so many of them."

"Mother mentioned that they fight the Red Court and don't hold back. And considering how close to last skirmishes we are..."

"Makes sense," Daphne said. "The leaders are here and they don't want to risk things happening. Especially if we are also here."

Blaise smiled at her, his smile as charming and seducing as he could manage. "Don't think about ourselves so highly," he said and kissed her on the cheek. "We are just lowly agents and not vampires."

"Position doesn't matter when you have the data someone needs. And I think we have a lot of the data they seek. Especially if your mother wasn't lying too much in her letter."

Blaise sighed and then frowned. What Daphne was saying was true, but he also knew how easy it came for the White Court to find new agents when they needed them in hurry. And then they often went for simply seducing someone and getting every bit of data out of them. He was in a comfortable position as his mother was in the inner circle of Lara and could protect him from getting into too much trouble. Daphne, she on the other hand could get raped by any of the vamps if Lara was angry at her.

"Yes, we are somewhat useful," he said after a moment and leaned towards Daphne's ear. "But also, you, especially you can be easily replaced and you don't have family to protect you."

Daphne paled and shuddered, losing her composure for a second. She then swallowed and regained the perfect mask she had. "I see," she said and kissed him. "You could have mentioned that, Blaise. Before we went here."

He smiled apologetically and right then they stopped in front of the doors to Lara's office. Blaise took a couple of deep breaths and then pushed the door open and stepped through.

The first thing he noticed was that it was dark. It wasn't really dark, but less bright than in the corridors outside. Then his eyes adjusted and he saw the Raith siblings sprawled on the couches with his mother standing behind them.

"My Lady," Blaise said with a bow, then his eyes flickered to Thomas and his mother. "My Lord, Mother."

"Blaise," Lara said, her voice having a sultry edge to it. "Daphne, join us you two so that we can begin."

Blaise nodded and sat down on one of the couches before reaching for a cup filled with some liquid, probably coffee and knowing the Court spiked with something. "My Lady, the summon was quite a peculiar one."

"I know," Blaise's mother said, answering for Lara. "However, there are circumstances that can explain that."

"Yes," Lara said and Blaise could see the ancient vampire shift uncomfortably. Showing far more emotions than he normally was used to. "The things that happened in the Latin America sent ripples into the world and one of them is about to hit Hogwarts."

"More like change than hit the castle. But still, Lady Raith is right."

"Frankly, my lady I won't mind a change to strike the castle. Some of the things are in dire need of that," Daphne said and Blaise arched an eyebrow in question. "Including some people forgetting their places and spending more time on politics than teaching."

"I would also add that it is so boring," Blaise said and yawned. "I feel like I'm dying there and spend most of the time counting cobwebs on the walls. The last time I enjoyed the time there was... I can't quite remember when."

"Is Binns still teaching history?" Black Widow asked and Blaise looked at her. "He taught me that very fascinating subject and I wish he was gone or banished elsewhere."

"He's as interesting as a blank wall," Daphne said with some disgust and seeing Lara glare at her she shrugged. "Oh, I'm aware that how much money I get into my vault is tied to my grades. But it isn't my fault that this teacher can't freaking teach."

"Easy, Daphne," Blaise muttered as he saw Lara give them an angry look. "Anyways, My Lady, can you tell us what do you have in mind?"

Lara smiled, this simple expression making Blaise shudder. "I'm making a minor investment in the Isles. Or rather, my brother is doing it in my name and Hogwarts is one of the interesting things there."

Blaise frowned and then looked at Thomas Raith. "Is it true, My Lord?"

"Yes," Thomas said and sent a look at Lara. "If Lara did it, many people would dig and look for troubles and you know how prone to finding that is your little world."

Those words made every wizard present wince, _Daily Prophet_ was infamous for uncovering secrets everybody long thought safely buried and forgotten. The chance that they would dig around a strange woman donating a large sum of money to Hogwarts would make them dig furiously and a lot of the information about the Raiths wasn't that hard to find.

"That could be a problem," Daphne said and paused, thinking. "My dad is a somewhat respectable wizard with a high standing with the Ministry and from what I heard from him the Ministry is a pit full of greedy and treacherous snakes. So most likely you would need to buy them insanely large bribes to keep them silent."

"And even then some madman might ask what did happen that the concerns suddenly disappeared," Lara said and smiled at Daphne. "You're a smart girl. Amuse me and tell me, how would you play it?"

"Approach the Headmaster and the Board of Governors," Daphne said and chewed on her lip. "The Headmaster will probably be against you, while the Board is hard to say. But then, Dumbledore is a politician and a teacher."

"So he will listen to convincing arguments," Lara said. "Thank you, dear."

o-0-o

Sirius smiled at the scarred and aged goblin that faced him and then followed the gaze of the creature. It was focused on Leanansidhe, not that he saw a reason to blame the goblin. The Sidhe lady was attracting a lot, a lot of attention and not staring at her would have been strange.

"She's with me," Sirius said softly. "She was the one that helped me to recover from the stay in the Azkaban."

"Very well," the goblin said with a heavy sigh. "She can come with us, but you are responsible for everything she does."

Sirius nodded and followed the office into the maze of offices and corridors hidden in the bowels of the bank. The goblins and wizards were moving in and out of it and if some noticed Sirius, none showed their interest in him. Focused on their tasks and making business, possibly the most important activity for this tribe of goblins.

It didn't matter for them who owned the gold. Neither did it matter how did he came into its possession, as long as he didn't steal it from them. All they cared about was business and making more gold, as well as customers that were honest and willing to engage in business activity of any shape and form.

Sirius knew that he had wealth, a thing that made most of the goblins respect him no matter this slight fact that the Ministry wanted his head or soul. The fact that Leanansidhe was causing panicked reactions told only that she was known and that she had power. And that while she was known, she caused some troubles in the past and the goblins remembered every single slight and insult.

They entered a small room and the goblin closed the door behind them before taking his place behind a spacious desk, motioning for them to get comfortable and summoning a house elf with a tray of refreshments. "Mr Black," he began. "Your presence here is intriguing. According to what the Ministry is telling us, you were last seen in Surrey. To be exact at Privet Drive 4 in Little Whinging." The goblin then smiled, revealing most of his teeth. "You were supposed to murder Petunia and Vernon Dursley and kidnap their son."

"I didn't do that," Sirius said, his expression sombre and serious. "I wish I could do that, but I was there too late to have any opportunity. My godson was there before me and he killed them before leaving the house hours before I managed to get there."

"He is speaking the truth," Lea said and the goblin looked up from the parchment he was writing on. "My mistress and I watched her son and Sirius' godson murder them and then chase away the agent of our rival."

"I know that Sidhe and we can't lie," the goblin said and then smiled like a shark. "Yet we can twist the words we say... For as long as we don't say a lie."

Lea grinned and then threw her head back, cackling. "Yes, I am aware of that. But for once I'm completely and totally honest. Sirius was there after the crime was done. I'm unaware of what he was doing when it was committed or where he was, but I'm sure he wasn't in that house."

Goblin waved his hand, cutting further explanations from Sirius. "I was just checking facts, Mr Black. The Ministry is quite known for being rather... Ah! Lax with data. We had people that were killed come to us. Ones that were locked in that dreadful tower of Azkaban and many more."

"Speaking about Azkaban," Sirius said, wincing at the name. "What exactly happened to the vault of my nuttier than a nutcake cousin's vault and other assets she owned?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange née Black?"

"One and only," Sirius grinned. "I don't quite remember the details of her dowry and other such things. But correct me if I'm wrong, but since she rots in her lovely cell with her even lovlier husband, I can take the vaults in custody."

The goblin frowned and then reached into the papers he had on his desk. He rummaged through them for few moments and then pulled out a couple of pieces of parchment. "There won't be much left of her vault, as most was transfered out. But the sum of several dozen thousand galeons and a pile of artifacts of various quality would be placed in your custody."

Sirius nodded and looked at the paperwork handed to him before reaching for one of the steaming cups of tea and sipping it slowly. "Master Goblin, can you remind me if anybody from the male line of my family lives?"

"From your direct family, none. Your younger brother, Regulus Arcturus is dead, same as is your father. Any properties, any assets and any artifact owned by them is now yours to use and manage however you wish to."

"Can you send any of your curse breakers to Grimmauld Place 12?" Sirius asked, almost a pleading look in his eyes. "That place is a nest of creatures and curses and I don't want to have them kill any of my guests."

"Of course," the goblin grinned. "The fee will be calculated once the team cleans the house and sees how much work did it take to do so. However, we know it is an old house, very old house. One your family owned for centuries and your family was dark and had a penchant to collect random artifacts and trinkets. Many of which are possibly dangerous or even lethal."

"Most of them is dangerous," Sirius said with a wince. "Speaking about that, considering whom my cousin was and whom were my brother and father. Look through the vaults and remove anything looking like dangerous or lethal."

"Of course."

"Can you be trusted to keep the vault and its content safe and protected at all times?" Lea suddenly asked and the goblin looked at her. "My mistress is considering moving some of her treasures and artifacts to different locations so that her enemies are less likely to find all of the dangerous objects."

"We can, for a suitable price," the goblin said and Sirius glanced at him. "The vaults, like the one owned by Mr Black are fairly secure, however there are ones where we meet every demand and request of our customers. Golems, dragons, curses, shifting it into the Nevernever, all of it is an option. The matter is of course the price, but I believe that Mab doesn't lack money."

Lea grinned and then sobered up quickly. "In a week of time I will be here to negotiate it in her name," she said and then turned to Sirius. "Today, he is the main client of yours."

o-0-o

The Merlin was as much as a nigh on invincible wizard as was a shrewd politician and often a skilled manager. The current holder of the title, Arthur Langtry, mastered the art of politics and diplomacy and while he wasn't a wizard that excelled in the more brutish arts of battle magic he still was an enemy not to be underestimated.

Twelve Dukes that were facing him weren't much more than an annoyance for him, nor their army of several hundred ghouls and half-vampires. He could wipe them out with a single word, yet he didn't do it. Simply standing in the middle of the street and stalling for time. There were reports of one of the Lords of the Outer Night in the area and that was his prize here. More would be a bonus, but he wanted the head of the Lord, not one of their underlings.

The Dukes for all their power and experience wouldn't be enough to make him leave the Halls, a Lord and a confirmed sighting of one was a thing that was of a different caliber and one that he couldn't ignore. Especially if a death of even a single one now could disorganize the Court even more. Not that it was stable and organized now. All of their attacks in Asia were a hasty operation, one of desperation and need to do something, not a planned campaign like all of the previous offensive actions.

His blue eyes scanned the abandoned buildings and then slipped towards the Dukes. He knew that they knew that they didn't stand much of a chance against him, yet their stubbornness in remaining here was peculiar. They could vanish into the Nevernever at a whim, their retinue sacrificed to buy them time, but they were still standing.

Their lack of inaction was a curse and a blessing. Him being in the open lured a great many of the assassins of various reputation and experience. Some of them, like the one half-vampire slipping through the buildings to his left were an annoyance. But it also attracted those he wanted to kill and thus it made this endeavor a risk he was willing to take.

His eyes didn't leave the vampires in front of him when he muttered under his breath and the neck of the assassin was squeezed. It was pest control for him, not worth his time and usually done by his Warden bodyguards. His attention focused back on the vampires and he smiled when a figure wearing a golden mask appeared.

"Finally," the Merlin whispered and added loudly. "Morgan, Luccio, now."

The two oldest and most experienced Wardens dropped their veils, alongside them further eighteen less experienced warriors, while he activated a ward that was planted in this very place several decades ago. It was a subtle one, one that blocked any escape into the Nevernever for as long as the wizard that cast it lived.

Merlin allowed himself a smile when he felt shock and surprised of the trapped vampires. Then his eyes widened when felt two more Lords leave the Nevernever, a retinue of nobles following each of them. It was clear that someone, somehow knew about this trap. A rather interesting thing as the ones that knew about it were limited to the Senior Council and the most trusted lieutenants of it. He suspected that there was some spy, Petrovich killed in a surprise attack was a thing that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Now he had a proof of how highly placed that bastard was.

"Morgan, Luccio," he muttered. "Take care of the chaff. I'll deal with the Lords and Dukes."

The Wardens nodded and he strode forward. His white staff almost glowing with the contained magical power. He swept it through the air and three of the twelve Dukes facing him were shred in half. Their bodies ripped apart by furious winds that slashed into the ghouls behind them. He sent second such a strike and was forced to hide behind a shield when the Lord unleashed its own magic.

"Pathethic," the Merlin said as he stopped the spells and strode forth. He stomped, his boot smashing into the surface of the street and the ground below the vampires opened up, swallowing a good chunk of their forces and almost trapping two of the Dukes. "You really are nothing more than the parasites feeding off the humans. I'm on my own and you can't beat me."

One of the Dukes let out a roar of fury and hurled itself at him. Making the Merlin step aside and pull out his sword. The silver blade flickered, the runes and symbols inscribed on its surface lightning up with fire, and then droplets of scarlet liquid spilled onto it as it effortlessly sliced the Duke in half. The two halves of the corpse dropped behind the Merlin, a pool of blood quickly forming around the ugly creature and he didn't pay it any more attention. It was dead or dying, the strike severed its spine and destroyed the stomach that contained the blood it needed to fix itself.

The White Council gathered through the ages an impressive armory of obscure, powerful and often deadly artifacts. Some were of the divine origin, some of the mortal and some of the demonic, but above all they were significant in one way or another to either some religion or civilization and with that came their immense power, prestige and reputation.

Some were available to the most experienced and trusted Wardens, but the best and the most powerful were restricted to the Senior Council. Their power so huge that nobody else could utilize them fully nor could be trusted with handling them. As the Merlin, Arthur Langtry could use any of them and when taking to the field he often used them. He had his own gear and all of it was a wet dream of many practitioners, but the artifacts from the vaults of the Council usually were far above it.

His gear was crafted by a mortal wizard and while it was perfectly attuned to him and his magic. It lacked the sheer power and strength of one forged in the forges of Olympus or created by a deity and then handed down to a mortal champion. Or even just bathed in a blood of a deity. Not many mortal weapons had properties that allowed them to be an anathema to one of the monsters that crawled out of the Nevernever.

The weapons of the gods and their mortal champions or even followers were surrounded by myths, legends and stories that attributed them many properties, most of which was a real thing. Some of which were a bane of the supernatural beings and in other cases simply provided the user with power. Power that often was needed to win a battle and in many cases provided a very needed advantage.

The sword that sliced one of the Dukes in half was the legendary sword of Charlemagne Joyeuse and in its blade was hidden the lance of Longinus. An artifact that was especially deadly against the Red Court as it was its anathema, a vessel of pure and honest faith of millions of people since the ancient times.

While one of the Swords of the Cross would have been even more effective, even this blade made the Lord of the Outer Night hiss and back away in some respect and fear. The Merlin allowed himself a faint smile, he glanced back at Luccio and Morgan and they were holding on their own. It was all he needed to make the Red Court consider its choices.

His wrist flickered and the silver blade exploded in flames. Flames that burned away the darkness and made the creatures of the night back away in fear. He moved and slashed, the blade making an arc in the air, licking the the limb of the Lord of the Outer Night. It was not a kill, far from one, but the scream of anguish and pain sent the lesser vampires scattering in all directions.

o-0-o

A pained sigh escaped a mouth of a teen sleeping in one of the chambers deep inside of Arctis Tor. Then his eyes slowly fluttered open, the green and blue cold and filled with untapped power and potential.

He sat up and groaned as he slowly stretched. He slept for what felt like an eternity and he felt as if his body wasn't his own. He looked down at his bare chest and saw more muscles than he remembered seeing, yet that wasn't the only change. He was also taller and he felt as if in few seconds, maybe minutes grew more than he did in a span of months.

There was also the unconscious awareness of what was happening in the realm of Winter. He felt about Aurora and he immediately could tell where she was and that she was talking towards the chamber he was in. It freaked him out, maybe even more than the power he felt waiting his call to answer.

He was dimly aware of the fact that a transformation he underwent when he had made the sacrifice would have changed him, yet he wasn't quite aware how extensive the changes would be. Being taller and more muscled was a thing he appreciated, the strange awareness of what everybody was doing in the fortress and beyond was extremely disturbing...

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N – The Merlin is a badass and has access to a wide collection of toys so he won't have issues killing one or two Lords of the Outer Night. Especially since he chose the terrain, the time and situation. But three Lords and a whole crowd of nobles is a different kettle of fish. He can probably win it, but he is even more starved for manpower and can't afford losing too many Wardens.**

 **For those that are lazy and don't want to keep track of killed ones. Of the original twelve, currently dead are two and third is wounded:**

 **1** **st** **KIA – Lily and the Eldest Gruff**

 **2** **nd** **KIA – The Erlking/Herne the Hunter**

 **1** **st** **WIA – The Merlin**

 **Joyeuse is one of my more favorite swords. A weapon of Charlemagne and according to some say that it holds the Lance/Spear of Longinus. The weapon that pierced Christ's side when he hanged from the cross which here means POWER. Not only a weapon that injured a god, but also people revere it as a sacred item and belief = power and we have and had a lot of people that revered it.**

 **Second legend is that it is a sibling of Curtana and Durendal, another thing that gives it power. I wanted to use something that wouldn't be too obscure and would have a nice name. Joyous sounds better than many names of swords and is a fitting name for a sword of one who leads a body that tries to keep humanity safeish.**

 **The fact that is was used by the first Roman Emperor in the west since the fall of the Roman Empire and we know that royal bloodlines have power in Dresden Files. Well, what would be a better weapon than this large needle?**

 **Reviews:**

 _Uzushiogakure_ – The Summer was winning even without Oberon being there. Winter's Knight is an ice sculpture in Mab's garden as Mr Dresden is a very stubborn individual and isn't keen on taking the Mantle.

There is one huge advantage of the Mantle Harry has. He can be killed in a single day/night of the year, Halloween, outside of that he is immortal. Well, unless he pisses off things like Mothers, possibly the Gatekeeper and some of the deities. But say a stab to the heart? He will be hurt, he will be very, very, very mad and wanting to murder the one that did it, but other than that he will be fine.

As for Hogwarts being a battleground. It was even without the mess with all of the Courts trying to keep an eye on troubles and trying to sabotage others works. Slytherin and Gryffindor fought each other and during Order of the Phoenix they had riots... Granted, none of them there was stupid enough to actually use poisons, but oh, well, they were nicer and kinder.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N – A long chapter and in my opinion even too long, but the plot really got kicked forward and major characters death is looming over the horizon. If someone is impatient and wants Hogwarts, it will come I think either the next chapter or the chapter after that. On the bright side, this and the next chapter should be let's say the last big slaughter for a while and most of the coming chapters until at least spring of the year three will be more about the game of subterfuge.**

 **As always, read, review and enjoy the story.**

 **o-0-o**

The awareness of what everybody was doing in the fortress while disturbing at first, quickly became strangely soothing for Harry. As the powers that he had at his call flooded his body, the comforting cold of the Winter and the nervousness and unease turned into a sense of safety and comfort.

The magic he before was dimly aware of, now were much, much more tangible and easy to see and manipulate. He shook his head, shoving those things out of his mind and smiled when the door opened and Aurora entered. Seeing him awake she let out a scream of joy and hurled herself at the bed and him.

"You're awake!" She landed on the bed and smiled, her eyes flickering with joy and happiness.

"I am," Harry agreed and chuckled. "I wouldn't mind few more hours of rest." He winced and he saw her eyes narrow. "I feel as if my muscles were stretched and then put back together."

Aurora snuggled against him and smiled, gently kissing him on the forehead. "You grew up, like half a feet or more," she murmured into his ear. "The Mantle helped your body catch up on growing up and I certainly won't mind it." She let her hands wander across his torso and lower body. "In fact, I'll appreciate it."

Harry blushed and then smiled a bit. "I'm glad that you still like me," he whispered and kissed her. "So, what did I miss?"

"Not much," Aurora said and then stretched like a large and very dangerous feline. "Syd is standing outside of your room on guard. Sarissa made him stay there after she stopped one of the lesser nobles in Maeve's service from trying to slit open your throat." Aurora then shifted and pressed her hand against Harry's chest. "Easy, love," she murmured soothingly seeing him trying to rise. "Don't let the emotions rule you."

Harry glared at her, an anger at his sister growing inside of him. But then he took a deep breath and shook his head, forcing the anger away. "Sorry," he mumbled and then paused as he realized something. "I just want to rip her throat out for what she tried to do."

Aurora's eyes analyzed him for few seconds and then she nodded. "The Mantle," she murmured. "I expected it to make your base instincts stronger and I guess you really don't like your sister. But I didn't expect you to dislike her so much."

Harry shook his head, his silver and black hair flying in every direction, and then looked at her. "I am overwhelmed by what I feel," he said and his fists clenched. "The emotions I already struggled with were strong," he said and allowed himself a sour smile. "What I feel now is so much stronger that I feel like a passager in my own body."

Aurora hummed quietly and then nodded in understanding, her hands gently exploring his changed body. "You will need to learn how to cope with that, love," she murmured and kissed him as her eyes shone mischeviously. "I could help you do that."

Harry gently shoved her aside and seeing her confusion he smiled. "I love the idea, but first, I want to speak with mother and Sarissa," he said and then looked at his naked body. "And need to find clothes before that."

"A small challenge," Aurora laughed. "You grew up a lot."

Harry laughed at this. In a long time it was a genuine, true laugher, not a fake one where he did it not to look badly or insult his friend. The situation was so strange for him, so weird that it was almost unnatural. Not that his change had much to do with the nature or the order of things.

o-0-o

Nicodemus Archleon was a man, a host of the Fallen Angel Anduriel and one of the most dangerous creatures that stalked the world since its creation. How old he was nobody could tell, most of the records destroyed by him or by someone working on his orders. His plans stretched for millenia and most of them was so convoluted that not even his lieutenants knew what was the final goal of any of them.

Most of them was also able to withstand minor and often even major setbacks. Until now, the Winter and Summer Courts together with the more powerful Wyldfae tore into them and the attempts to weaken the White Council through the war with the Red Court spiraled out of any control.

He should have made Mab act against the Summer when the time to stern the tide was right. Yet he missed the opportunity and the whole of the Red Court started to shake as the leadership of it was decimated. First Summer Lady killed one of the Lords, a thing that could have happened.

What couldn't have happened and wasn't even allowed to happen in his plans was the strike that obliterated Copan, killed second Lord and hundreds of other vampires. It sent the enemies of the Court into a state of frenzy, a state he didn't see since the time when the Black Court met its end at the hands of Stoker.

Nicodemus' eyes flickered with some light reflected in them and he listened to Anduriel as he tried to think what to do next. The Fae Courts were changed, however any more was even beyond the reach of Anduriel. The Sidhe were paranoid at the best of times and spying on them was a challenge. Now they either met in warded areas or made sure to have so much light that there was not a single shadow left.

There needed to be something done to make the war longer by few more years. The Fomor were gathering forces and needed more time to attack as otherwise they would get stomped on like a pesky bug. Now the White Council would reduce the Red Court to dust in a span of maybe two years, three if the vamps were lucky. With the involvement of the Fae maybe even less time would be needed.

It was a worrying thing, very worrying. His own plans and assets could find themselves in danger if the war ended sooner than he planned for. Many of them were hidden in the Red Court ones and considering the viciousness of the Venatori and the White Court the changes were high that some could be discovered.

The only positive so far thing was that the White Council decided to pull back and lick their wounds. He knew of course why, but if they pressed on. Their attacks even more vicious than before there was a good chance they could have ended the war here and now. He allowed himself a small, cold smile.

The Council didn't know how truly the Red Court was hurt. It didn't know how much damage the Erlking did with his massive strike. How many nobles and commanders were caught in the battle and were unable to escape. The wizards had an idea of how big of a slaughter it was as they could feel and sense the magic flying, but apparently didn't know the details.

It was a thing that suited Nicodemus and one he didn't want to change. Not yet anyways, maybe in the future if the circumstances were to change. Now he had different plans to see brought to fruition and slightly more pressing issues, too.

o-0-o

The light in the Halls was subdued as the guards looked at everybody and anybody leaving and entering the complex with suspicion. Their swords half-drawn and ready to slice open any attacker. Imaginary or real.

Ebenezer passed between a pair of Wardens standing at the door and then stepped into the room. Where further four Wardens stood in the corners, their eyes focused on the person laying on the bed and the Healers tending to him.

"Leave," Ebenezer murmured looking at the Wardens. They looked at him, but then nodded. Shuffling out of the room, unhappy that they were chased out. Then Ebenezer approached the bed and looked at the Healers. "How did it happen?"

"He just wounded the Lord and then a vampire jumped onto him from behind," one of the Healers said with a wince. "The damage was extensive and the venom doesn't help us."

"Will he recover?"

"Eventually, yes. Now he needs time and the future will tell how much. For all his power and magic he is old. Even by our standards."

Ebenezer nodded and looked at the comatose form of the Merlin. Lack of the strong leader could shake the Council and be a problem. Especially now. During war they needed strong leadership and for all of his faults, Arthur Langtry was just that. A strong leader and one that stood firmly at the lead of the Council for decades, centuries if included the time as the member of the Senior Council.

"Have four Wardens in the chamber," Ebenezer said and then looked at the Healers. "Only the Senior Council is allowed inside and even then. I don't want someone alone with him. He is weakened and someone might try to slip him a poison or venom to finish him off."

The Healers nodded and Ebenezer stepped out, tiredly rubbing his face. The whole thing was bound to be an even bigger mess than it already was. A thing that made him grimace at the idea of additional work needed to keep the war going.

o-0-o

As Harry walked through the corridors of Arctis Tor he could feel a subtle change from all the nobles he saw and passed by. Even without eyeing Syd who trailed behind Harry, a sword on his back and ready to be used, they all were subdued and trying to move out of his way. As if in one moment he went from someone who could be challenged and tested to someone who ought to be obeyed or his wraith would be terrible.

"The Mantle," Syd whispered and Harry turned to look at him. "It sends a signal to us to back off. Normally we ignore it, but uh, you are frustrated and angry and that's easy to notice."

"More like he is very crude in expressing his emotions," Aurora said and Harry saw Syd nod in agreement. "Your body language screams anger and since most of us is predators. We don't want to piss off the biggest, nastiest and meanest of the pack."

Harry flushed at this and when he walked into the chamber where Mab was she gave him a stern look that made him avert his gaze and avoid direct eye contact. The power she had was terrible and scary and many would have wavered far sooner.

"You ought to have the power," she then coldly said and then her eyes flickered to a couple of nobles present in the chamber. "Leave us. Obsydian, Aurora, stay."

The nobles shuffled out of the chamber. Many of them clearly unhappy that they were being banished from her presence. The chance to see and listen to the events happening was priceless and potentially also extremely dangerous and Mab wasn't willing to take many chances with that.

"Your sister tried to assassinate you," she said and then looked at Syd. "Since now he will always stay at your side. I thought that she would be more sane… apparently she lacks the intelligence to recognize that such attempts won't be approved."

"Am I supposed to sit and don't act?" Harry asked with a snarl. "While that bitch tries to kill me?"

Mab's eyes darkened and Harry almost immediately felt bad for saying those words. She didn't strike him, nor she had any reason for violence. The look she gave him was enough to make him back away and lower the gaze of his eyes.

"I apologize, mother," Harry muttered, ashamed of his outburst.

"You need to rein in your temper," Mab said and then walked to one of the windows. "Join me," she beckoned him and Harry did as she told him. "What do you see?"

Harry looked at the snow covered trees and plains with almost nothing disturbing the almost perfectly still and peaceful landscape. There was nothing that was out of place or was there? His eyes narrowed as he looked towards the trees and the dark shapes lurking in the shadows. Then he looked at the sky and in the clouds and between them, what he discarded as light playing with his eyes, turned out to be massive avian creatures.

"The whole realm is preparing for war?"

"Not exactly war," Mab said and then paused. "Not now anyways. We still have time. Maybe a year or two, but we have before the troubled times start. However all of this is partially caused by your sister and her actions. She shirks her duties as the Winter Lady and plots against the Court."

"How?" Harry asked as something rebelled inside of him. The Queens were bound by the rules and laws of the Court. Doing something like what Maeve was doing was an abberation and an impossible to imagine one at that.

Mab gave Harry a cold look, the force of the will behind this look almost forcing him to his knees. "She's not what she used to be and an Enemy controls her," Mab said and then her gaze flickered to Aurora and Syd. "She tried to infect those that are your friends, yet didn't manage to. A thing that is an advantage for us."

"She thinks that the two are her agents."

"Not hers," Mab said quietly. "The Enemy is from the Outside and it controls all of its pawns for some ulterior motive I can't predict easily. I know that the effect won't be good for the world and the Gates which we guard will be cracked, but beyond that the Enemy is elusive and hard to understand. I know the most important nobles that were infected by it and limited what they can do, but beyond that I cannot do much now."

Harry frowned, but then nodded. His emotions were churning as he was on one hand mad at his sister for wanting to see him dead, yet on the another he felt pity for her. Being controlled and forced to do something that was against her very nature must have been an awful thing.

"You will take over some of her duties," Mab said and Harry jerked, brought out of his musings. "Gradually and slowly, but you will."

"Why?"

Mab's eyes flickered with barely hidden irritation and Harry winced. "You are my son and one of very few people that can make the nobility reconsider its options. Normally, I would have sheltered you for longer. Let you grow in power and knowledge, first, then hurl you into the dangerous world of politics."

"But with Maeve plotting and without the Knight, you need to take drastic measures," Harry said and grimaced. "The logic appeals to me in a way," he said with a smile. "And I really, really hate that you want to use me as a tool."

Mab allowed herself to laugh, the noise more like a glacier grinding against another, than that of a human. "Yes," she agreed. "I need to take more drastic measures. That's why she needs to die and she will die."

"Mother, you will kill your own children?" Harry asked and Mab looked at him, her mask slipping for a moment and revealing all of her emotions and fears. She looked far, far more fragile than her normal threatening and imposing form.

"I will. Only if they discard my offer of help. Maeve, I could have treated her. The same way I treated you or Lea. She didn't want any help nor even had will to approach me about it. For me she is not my child anymore."

"So what she is?"

"A threat," Sarissa said as she marched into the room and made them all look at her. "Her behavior is a threat to the Winter and she needs to be terminated before she causes any more damage. Yes," she said as she stopped behind Harry and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Yes, it is as cold and cruel as you can think or even more. But then, we don't have any other good choice. She's insane, knows too much and has too much power. We can't do a single thing about her other than kill her when we are ready for the fallout."

"Indeed," Mab agreed and whistled. Making a silver and blue cat reveal its presence and walk out of the shadows. "Cat Sith found one of its more trusted and powerful underlings to guard you, Harry."

Harry looked at the feline and frowned. "A cat?"

"A malk," the being said, it's voice rasping and showing obvious irritation.

"I thought that you could recognize a malk," Aurora added from her place on the other side of the room.

Harry's eyes narrowed as he looked at her and his lips twitched into a smile. "I can… just didn't expect to get one as a bodyguard."

"I'm not a bodyguard," the malk said as it launched itself at Harry and nimbly landed on his shoulder. "Think of me as an annoying companion. I can guard you, alright, but life will be boring if I guard you all day and do nothing else."

Harry let out a sigh when the malk landed on his shoulder. He hissed when he felt the claws dig into the fabric of his shirt. The animal wasn't that heavy, but kept him off-balance and Harry wanted to shoo it away, yet somehow he resisted the urge.

"An annoying companion?" he asked, reaching to touch its pelt.

Malk's eyes glittered with cruel, evil kind of intelligence. One you didn't want to provoke. "I'm a feline, what else did you expect? I'm not like those stupid dogs that follow their masters." It yanwned and revealed a set of fangs that made Harry shudder. "Good, they can as easily chew through your throat as they can through that of an assassin."

Harry placed his hand on the back of the malk and once it didn't show any signs of wanting to murder him. He started to pet it, fully aware that he could easily end dead. "So, what is your name?"

The malk laughed, it's voice making Harry's teeth clench and ear ache in pain. "Silly human, we don't use names in the way you would understood," it explained and shifted weight, making Harry groan under strain. "Choose whatever you want and I will react to it when among the stupid humans."

Harry stroked lazily the back of malk as he tried to find a suitable name. He paused for a moment when the name of the head of his house from Hogwarts popped into his mind. "Godric?"

"That name sounds familiar," Mab mused and Harry looked at his mother. "A name of a Summer Knight from the early medieval times."

Harry blinked in surprised and stared at her in a mixture of shock and surprise.

"And his surname was Gryffindor," she finished with a small, cold smile. "The legend about the founding of your school, that it was founded by four powerful wizards and witches is a lie. Summer and Winter Knights aren't wizards, they're agents of the Fae Courts."

"And the other two?

"Powerful Wyldfae," Mab said and then smiled. "That will be for you to find out. You might be surprised by their identity and power."

Harry wanted to ask questions, yet he knew that the audience was over and Mab wouldn't tell him more than she already did. He bowed his head and then walked out of the room, Aurora and Syd immediately falling into positions slightly behind him.

"Gryffindor being a Summer Knight opens up some opportunities for us," Aurora said and Harry looked at her. "Most likely Hogwarts is anchored in the Nevernever and the border is extremely thin there. Or even completely gone. As Sidhe we are the most powerful if the Nevernever is close to us. The closer, the better and at Hogwarts we might not have any restrains on our powers."

Harry smiled at her and then this expression grew into an impish smirk. "How hard it is to open a portal into the Nevernever?"

"In an area similar to Hogwarts?" Harry only nodded. "Extremely easy and simple. Almost anything can open it and pass through. Even the Mothers could pass if they wanted to and they are as powerful as some gods."

Harry smiled and gave her a look. "I don't want Mothers. What I want is a quick escape plan if I end trapped."

"A sensible idea," Syd said, his hand gently caressing the hilt of his sword. "Even if I want to slice open any threat charging at you. It takes me time to get to you."

"While in the Nevernever you can make the time pass much faster than outside of it," Aurora commented. "Enough not to give ones waiting in the mortal world a chance to react between the moment you escaped and the moment you came back with help."

o-0-o

The domain of a god in the Nevernever was a realm where everything was his. The laws of physics and reality could be bent and twisted. The flow of time could be frozen or hastened to make millenia pass outside while for those inside it felt as if a moment passed.

Uriel was a being as old as the universe, his power almost without any limits, yet restrained by the commands of the Almighty. Yet he didn't need to use any of it for most of the business he carried out. His eyes turned to silver in color as he looked at the pair of beings seated in a pair of comfortable armchairs.

One was a seven feet tall man with pale skin, hair dark as night and the eyes like two bottomless pits of darkness and with a crown of mordite floating above his head. He was Hades, amongst many titles and powers, he was arguably the richest and most influential god, out of the Olympians. His vaults were bottomless and inside of them were some of the deadliest and most potent weapons. Many of which were used by gods and their most powerful champions, making them possibly the most lethal things outside of mordite.

Second was a being as tall as Hades, but when the God of Death was pale, this one was radiating light and his hair shone as if it was on fire when it only was the color of molten gold. Above his head a couple of balls of pure light floated lazily, reminding Uriel that the appearance of the Olympians could be very deceiving. Many, like Apollo looked harmless and friendly, while they were one of the most unpleasant beings to fight when pushed to their limits. The last thing were the eyes of the deity, Apollo, his eyes were a mix of green and gold. Full of compassion, knowledge and power.

"What do you want from us, Spymaster?" Apollo asked as he held a goblet made out of pure gold. "Not many have the bravery to demand a meeting with me and Hades."

"Easy, nephew," Hades murmured and then glanced at Uriel. "I presume it is related to that upstart, Nicodemus Archleone."

"His attempts with concocting new plagues and illnesses are irritating," Apollo said with distaste. "And he avoids my attempts to strike him down."

"Lord Hades is right," Uriel said and then sent Apollo a pointed look. "He needs to live for now. But his plagues are getting increasingly troubling and the Almigthy, nor I will interfere if you purge them from the world, Lord Apollo."

Apollo sipped wine from his goblet and then looked at Uriel in amusement mixed with something more serious. "What about the plagues that the Red Court is getting from some sources the Olympus can't uncover?"

"I believe that they get them from Fomor," Hades said and glanced at Apollo. "Yes, those parasites we kicked back into the sea when my father and your grandfather was cast into Tartarus. I thought that they would have stayed in the shadows for few more decades, but they want to act now."

"The Red Court is of no importance to us," Uriel said and then tensed for a second. "Mab however wants to murder them, too."

At the mention of Mab's name Apollo twitched and Uriel allowed himself to smile. God of Light and so many other things was an interesting being and at times still behaved like a young, foolish godling. Not a deity that lived for millenia and was seen by many as ancient. Mention of one of his former lovers made him still twitch and then Uriel's eyes narrowed briefly as he remembered a certain new Winter Prince.

"So I would advise against burning them to the ground," he said cautiously and then looked at Apollo. "I would on the other hand be very pleased if you could take a look at a certain thing." Uriel opened his hand and in the air appeared a swirling mass of something dark and smoky. A thing at which Hades jerked in his seat and mordite above his head became more agitated.

"It comes from the Outside," Apollo said and then frowned. "No, it was tainted by the Outside, but is a human soul."

"Indeed," Hades grumbled. "A shard of it. It is something similar to what Egyptians did, but their souls never were tainted by the Outside."

"One that did it to himself has a potential to become second Kemmler or worse," Uriel said. "If given a choice, I would have killed him when his body died. Alas, I am limited in what I can do."

"The souls are not my specialty," Apollo said and then his eyes flickered with their inner energy before he smiled. "But I should be able to perform a ritual to force all of the pieces into one soul."

"Making sure that he dies when he is once again killed," Hades murmured with some grim satisfaction. "Them cheating the death is getting troublesome. The Einherjar and the Myrmidons used by Odin and my dear brother are annoying as is. Souls split into dozens of pieces." He shook his head. "How did he even manage to make this ritual?"

"A half forgotten Sidhe book," Uriel said. "Once again the White Council didn't find all of them. One copy somehow avoided being destroyed or moved into their vaults. I don't even think they knew it existed. Hogwarts had its copy because of its founders."

"The Changelings that became the Knights really had the connections at their courts," Apollo murmured. "The two Wyldfae they seduced into helping him are less well-connected, but still they are powerful ones."

"Which can explain why the White Council didn't storm the castle when they looked for the books," Hades said and then allowed himself a small smile. "Lara Raith is making interesting proposals. She needs hard currency in quantities that doesn't make sense anywhere else other than major moves against that community."

"I hope she manages to carry out her plan," Uriel said and then bowed his head slightly. "My Lords, as entertaining and productive the thing is. I have other duties to attend to and need to leave you for now."

o-0-o

Duchess Arianne Ortega smiled when she read the message from the spy. The Merlin was unconscious and the chance that he recover soon was close to none. It was a weakness of the White Council that needed to be exploited.

She snapped her fingers and summoned one of the half-vampire Jaguar Knights. "Tell the Red King that Merlin is bedridden and can't take to the field," she said and then banished the warrior.

It was the chance to finish off the Council, but the question was how costly the victory would be. She considered her options and then smiled. The Black Court needed to be contacted, they had huge numbers of servants that could be used to weaken the Wardens and soak up the magic unleashed. The fact that many held a grudge against the Council and wanted to murder some wizards was an added incentive and at this point an unnecessary one.

o-0-o

Harry's feet dangled off the edge of the ramparts as he looked at the forests and mountains beyond the fortress. The power hidden in the snow and the dark storm clouds above was tremendous and the awareness of the fact that he could call upon it. All of it if pushed to the point of no return was sobering in a way and in another chilling.

He could force the borders of Winter to seal and disallow any movement into and out of it, basically trapping everything inside of it or he could tear a hole in the border between the world and the Nevernever. Allowing the most hideous monsters and creatures of the Winter to pour out of their lairs and rampage between humans. Or attack those that preyed upon humans, something whispered into his mind.

"You are strangely distant," Aurora said as she sat down next to him and looked at the malk nestled on his legs. "And quiet."

"Just thinking," Harry said and looked at her with a faint smile. More for her than for him. "It isn't you who holds the power to wreck havoc across the whole realm."

"The Mantles are a terrible responsibility." Aurora's gaze said more than her words and Harry easily noticed compassion in her eyes. "This Mantle isn't tainted by the awful deeds done by Maeve or Mab… The chance that you become a psychopath is a slim one. You will most likely be like the Erlking, dangerous, even lethal, predatory sense and a strange, twisted sense of justice."

"Isn't the Erlking the Summer King?" Harry asked and Aurora arched an eyebrow. "I was reading some scrolls and one of them mentioned the Summer King and the Winter King."

"Ah," Aurora said and smiled. "Lord Kringle and the Erlking, whose true name is Herne the Hunter, aren't a part of the Courts the same way you and Oberon are. You hold the power of the Mantle that is comparable to the power of the Queen, if you know how to utilize it. While theirs are less powerful and at the same time more."

"How so?"

Aurora smiled and reached out to pet his malk. "The Queen and as an extension of this rule, you, can't really strike down a mortal first," she said and then frowned. "I'm wrong, you can, but only if they are bound to you in some way. They, the Erlking and Kringle, are allowed to do whatever they want and they answer to the Courts because it keeps them more powerful and because they benefit from it."

"It's confusing," Harry said and sighed. "They're at the same time powerful Wyldfae that have their own chunks of the Nevernever as their domain."

"Indeed, they do," Aurora said and allowed herself a smile. "What do you remember about the way the Wyldfae act and how their relations with the Courts look?"

"They ally with the Court that is closest to what they are," Harry said and seeing her arch an eyebrow he continued. "Brutal, vicious and cruel usually follow us. The merry ones ally with the Summer."

"Or they go for the polar opposite," Aurora said. "Now it is not the usual way because the struggle between Courts is even more intense and power of Summer is waning so they all flock to us. But once it normalizes you will see how does it look. The Erlking, the most vicious and cruel of the Wyldfae and the King of Goblins and Elves, will ally himself with the Summer."

"So why does Mab treat him as her vassal?"

"Because for now he is a vassal. His allegiance is fickle, but after the last raid on the Red Court he will stay with us. Even if he will be a vassal of the Summer, he will listen to what we want and what would we like him to do."

Harry sighed and then smiled when Godric softly purred, the noise putting Harry at ease and letting him relax. Aurora's presence to his side was strangely comforting and one he wanted. He looked at her and then blushed before kissing softly.

o-0-o

The Hidden Halls were a fortress buried under the city of Edinburgh and protected by wards that could stop and in many cases outright kill anything smaller and less powerful than a fully-fledged god. Even for a god assaulting the stronghold of the White Council was not a task they were willing to undertake.

The ley lines underneath and hundreds of wizards inside, not to mention allies of the Council were capable of wrecking havoc upon almost any force storming down the main accesway into the fortress. It was also one of the reasons why the initial thrust by the Red Court was so successful and so easily overwhelmed the outermost sentries.

The Wardens on duty, the youngest and most inexperienced ones didn't have any time to react when a wave of the vampires, ghouls, humans and half-vampires poured out of the Nevernever. They were ripped apart alive, their screams alerting sentries further up the path and activating the wards.

Ebenezer McCoy looked at the layout of the stronghold and then glanced up at the ceiling. A thin trail of dust falling down as another explosion rocked the whole structure. "How bad it is, Morgan?" he asked as he looked at Donald Morgan who just walked into the room. His armor and body covered in grime and blood.

"We stopped them on the gates," he said and then grimaced, wiping the blood off his face. "But what we are killing is the chaff. The most worthless vampires and freshly turned ones. The Dukes, the Lords and the King are lingering in the back of the horde."

"They know that the Merlin is in coma," Ebenezer muttered darkly and then looked at the wizards gathered in the chamber. "What did the Unseelie and Seelie say?"

"Mab won't react," one of the wizards said and Ebenezer nodded. He expected that, Mab acting would have been a surprise. "Titania and Oberon pledged their forces and said that in six hours they will come and assist us."

"And how long ago that was?" Ebenezer asked as he checked the time.

"An hour ago."

Five hours were going to be problematic. Half of the Senior Council was away and without the Merlin there weren't many that could reinforce the wards. The siege ones were activated, but even them could be breached. It was just a matter of time and the Red King knew that. Ebenezer knew that too and he suspected that the wards wouldn't last the six needed hours.

"Open the armory," Ebenezer said as he stood up, the Blackstaff appearing in his hand. "There is no reason to hold back. Not now." His eyes found Aleron LaFortier. "What weapons do we have access to?"

"Everything," the gaunt looking French wizard said. "But the city above us is an issue. We can't risk unleashing most of the magic."

"The city can recover," Ebenezer said as he strode out of the chamber. "We won't be able to if we lose this fortress. Limit the usage of the most destructive magic, but the rest is needed."

"We swore to protect humanity, not kill it," Aleron said with a glare. "What you suggest is equal to a genocide."

"I did it in the past," Ebenezer said with a shrug. "The humans are our responsibility, but if we are dead we can't protect them. I prefer to live on and be able to protect them when we can." Ebenezer allowed his eyes slid dangerously close to Aleron's. "If you are of a different mind, you are free to disagree, but now it is me who is in command."

"Of course, Blackstaff," Aleron said with a bow.

Ebenezor nodded and then disabled the wards placed in the stone around a very battered and old set of wooden doors. They were the gates that led into the main armory of the White Council and the vaults in which some of its more potent arsenal was stored. The rest was in dozens of vaults in the Nevernever and under the Holy See, safely hidden away for the time when it could be once again needed.

For most of the time the content of any of the vaults wasn't needed and was deemed unnecessary, but in a situation when the Red Court was almost inside the fortress there was a huge necessity to remove them as quickly as possible and seal the main accessway.

Ebenezer stopped in front of a simple wooden chest emblazoned with a cross and opened it. Already feeling the power leaking from the artifact inside. It was a ten feet long spear, its blade partially covered in gold and silver that were engraved in runes and sigils of power. He grasped it and his eyes almost lit up with the power the Spear contained.

"Holy Lance of the Empire?" Aleron asked as he pulled out Joyeuse.

"They hate faith," Ebenezer said with a small smile. "It seems fitting to use a blade that had been bathed in the blood of Christ."

"That Spear is in so many weapons," Aleron chuckled and Ebenezer only nodded in agreement. "There are I think four artifacts forged with parts of it."

"The sword and the three spears," Ebenezer said as he walked out. The Lance clanking against the ground and making Wardens look at the blade that burned with its inner light. "Morgan and I will hold them back for however long we can manage. You, Luccio and Peabody will take the second turn."

o-0-o

Sirius looked at his godson and blinked. He didn't expect to see someone so perfectly humans and alien at the same time. He was larger, more graceful and much more powerful than he ever imagined a human being to be. But then, all of the Sidhe were like this and those traits were taken to the extremes in his body.

The way he moved and the way his body was built, no, sculpted, suggested only a predator and Sirius didn't want to imagine how much force was behind the thick bundles of muscles he saw under Harry's skin. The fight against the Death Eaters and Voldemort taught him not to ignore simple physical prowess and it seemed that Sidhe also paid much attention to it. Even if Harry's body wasn't a clear indication of that, a sword at his side dispelled most of the doubts he had, the ease with which he carried it taking care of the rest of his questions.

While the attention of the Sidhe healers and exposure to their magic also affected him, Sirius was sure of that. It was nothing compared to how alien and dangerous Harry was. Even if he was completely relaxed and didn't hide anything. The sharp lines were too perfectly sharp to be human and the eyes had something predatory to them, something that made almost every nerve in Sirius' body scream at him to run. Just run and don't turn back.

He saw Mab in person and even she didn't have this kind of a reaction from him. Whatever, whoever, Harry became, it was something dangerous and predatory. Something ready to pounce and rip throats of a careless prey. Sirius closed his eyes for a second and then calmed himself down, allowing his more jovial side to show.

"Good to finally see you, Harry," he said, his dark eyes flickering with fire.

"Sirius," Harry responded, his voice level and cool. "I haven't expected to have as a godfather a wanted criminal."

Sirius laughed at this and he noticed that Harry's cool mask cracked quickly. "Technically I am," he agreed. "But the wizards of the Isles might have the issues with making it a reality."

"They can try," Harry smiled dangerously. "I wouldn't even mind it."

Sirius reached and patted him on the shoulder. "Now, now, Harry, I know that you have no love for the Ministry," he said and immediately noticed Harry's eyes darken. "But don't wish them death at the hands of Mab."

Harry chuckled at this and nodded with a wince. "Honestly, neither do I," he said quietly. "Even I'm scared by how ruthless and cruel she can be and if the wizards come here for you." Harry shuddered briefly. "They will be happy if they die before she even gets close to them."

Sirius nodded, his expression pensive and worried, but then he gently shook his head and the worry disappeared. "Now, that can wait for some other time," he said and looked at Harry with a smile. "Tell me about your time at Hogwarts. Sarissa mentioned a thing or two, Lea same, but their opinions are different than yours is gonna be."

"Lea tends to twist the truth as much as she can," Harry said quietly and Sirius' eyes widened marginally. "We can't lie, but she's possibly better than Mab when it comes to twisting the words and saying what she wants to be heard. No matter what how much it shares with truth."

"Ah. So her version of what exactly happened to you might be a bit embellished."

Harry grinned, his teeth and how sharp some looked unsettling Sirius. "Aye," he said and smiled. "Not that what happened to me required any of it. The events of the second year were focused on the basilisk and killing that bloody snake. Year one was not much better, just Philosopher's Stone of one Nicolas Flamel."

Sirius looked at him as if he was insane and then shook his head. "Start from the beginning, slowly and don't miss any details. It seems that the school really doesn't want to become calm and boring."

o-0-o

Ebenezer motioned for the Wardens to open the last of the gates they held and prepared for the onslaught of screaming and howling creatures wanting him dead. He grimly smiled as the Blackstaff vibrated with its inner energy and cold. It was not a gentle weapon and not one every wizard could use, but when it came to killing it was possibly the best one.

The gate opened and a wave of humans, half-vampires and even worse monsters rushed at him. Ebenezer only looked at them and then pointed the Holy Lance in their direction. Its blade glowed gold before unleashing a storm of light. Wherever the beams of light impacted vampires and their servants dropped onto the ground.

Their forms charred and wounded by the light coming from the Spear. Normally they would have a chance to recover from their injuries, but not here and not now. Some were finished off by the Wardens, some by Ebenezer and the rest. The rest was ripped apart by the following waves, driven to such a frenzy and aggression that it didn't matter for them if someone was friendly or not. It only mattered that they were ahead and defenseless.

This fight wouldn't be a nice, graceful duel between two champions or wizards. No, it would be an hours long slaughter of the mostly defenseless creatures and humans while their overlords from the Red Court nobility stayed behind and let the wizards tire out. It was a strategy of attrition and patience, utilizing the thing the Red Court could hurl at the White Council in the thousands, if not in the dozens of thousands. Human mercenaries, half-vampires and many more beasts that on their own were nothing, but in large numbers could prove to be a threat.

Ebenezer heard a howl of some creation of a sick mind that mutated a human body into a mass of muscles, teeth, claw and scales. Turning it into a nearly perfect assassin with its hide able to shrug off most of the hits that would have killed a normal human.

Wasting no time he stepped back and let it leap at him. Then when it was in the air and defenseless he moved forward and thrust the Lance. Its blade sliced through the scales, the muscles and bones as the howl turned into wheezing yelp. Ebenezer blasted the beast away with a bit of wind magic and turned back to face the main body of the Red Court horde.

A loud tremor passed through the corridor, the noise amplified by the close quarters and a chain of explosions ripped through the horde. Body pieces, blood and gore flying everywhere as pieces of the ceiling started to fall. Small and large chunks of rocks dropped onto the unsuspecting beings below them. Killing and maiming in the dozens and managing to stop the rush of the reinforcements, this time led by the dozens of Counts and Dukes of the Red Court.

"This should slow them down," Donald Morgan muttered as he wiped dust of his face. "I bring down more and I might collapse in the street above us."

"I don't think it will be necessary," Ebenezer said as he prepared to face the new way. "They first need to dig through the rubble."

o-0-o

Lara Raith looked up as she heard something similar to a thunder, yet distinctly different. It was something else and it couldn't have been a thunder as it came from below, not above. She frowned and then her eyes widened, the Hidden Halls were directly below them, even if they weren't. Under the whole city were kilometers of tunnels, vaults, chambers and hidden rooms carved out by the Sidhe and later by the White Council.

"We have a slight problem," Thomas said as he entered the room, a sword and a gun in his hands. On the blade stains of blood. "Renfields, dozens of them and ghouls are pouring out of every shadow."

Lara's eyes widened in panic, a feeling she didn't even quite remembered existing. The Renfields were servants of the Black Court and that was a group the White Court avoided at all cost. After Stoker in the eyes of the Black Court she was possibly the most hated being on the whole planet. She arranged its fall and since then tried to stay as much out of the way as possible.

"How many mercenaries do we have here?"

"Sixty," Thomas said and then leaped as a ghoul tried to jump in through a window. It only met his sword, the blade neatly opening its throat. "But without any heavy weapons and frankly. Not that they would help us much."

Lara nodded and reached for her own weapons before looking at him. "What do you suggest?"

"Buy as many enherjar and Valkyries from Odin as we can and hope that they get here fast," Thomas said before firing at a crazed ghoul that came through a shattered window. "Or pull the strings and have the government here deploy their armed forces."

"It doesn't look that bad," Lara said and then barely remained standing as another tremor shook everything.

"Because the Halls are the target. Or at least that's what I think is their target."

Lara analyzed him for a second and then swatted aside another ghoul before nodding. While the Black Court had every reason to attack her, the Red Court wanted her to stay out of their affairs and attacking her was not a thing they would do. Especially not now. Or maybe she was wrong and the two courts allied and wanted her gone.

She would have all the time in the world to think once the house was safe and no more ghouls were trying to storm it. She glanced at the sky and her eyes narrowed when she saw coal black clouds cover it. Someone really was pulling strings to have this strike organized and the amount of resources involved was huge.

Not many were aware of this fact, but Edinburgh was the only city on the whole planet that had city-wide wards that prevented using magic to manipulate weather above it. After an accident in Rome where Black Court sneaked in under the cover of magic mist the White Council developed wards that blocked attempts to manipulate the weather. If someone committed enough forces to break them, it was their extremely desperate gambit or they were so sure of their victory they knew they could spend resources frivolously.

 **o-0-o**

 **A/N – Yes, Mab won't commit the forces, at least not now. She has her reasons and she has even more reasons to wait for the events to unfold. Let's say that the whole affair smells like a fish and she's more worried about said fish than the mess in Edinburgh. And while she will happily roast the vampires or rather freeze, said fish is more important for her and the vamps can wait.**

 **On the other hand, Titania is less restrained and needs to shine and wants to annoy her twin. There's also something more to why she's acting the way she's acting aka pledging to come to the rescue of Edinburgh, but that's my sweet secret.**

 **Vamps assumed that they have an upper hand and that they can at least maim the Council and they're not wrong. But perhaps there is something more…**

 **Harry's parts, after the mess under Edinburgh is done and the ghouls are hunted down he will have the spotlight. Now, he needs to just watch, but I don't think that anybody will mind if some vamps get turned to minced meat in the meantime.**

 **Uriel, Uriel, Uriel, he knows a lot and at the same time pretends he doesn't know that much. He knows who is the father of Harry, but let's say that acknowledging the fact wouldn't be in his best interest. At least now.**

 **Nicodemus, you wanted the evil spymaster, you have him. He is powerful and deadly, but for once he made some minor mistakes that piled one upon another and has this tiny issue of certain beings that started to take a keen interest in his actions.**

 **Lara, she's the one that now holds the most powerful deck that isn't dragged into any conflict and can freely act. Yes, she stabbed the Reds a time or two, but it was more of aggressive business than real hostility so technically she has truce with them.**

 **Dumbledore & Hogwarts, they will appear in two chapters. They're important, but with the current mess, let's say that everybody's focus and attention is on the atomic bomb that has a timer and can blow them up.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N – Finally an update and I'm a cruel person with the cliffhanger at the end. Another ona will be when I'll feel like writing it.**

 **o-0-o**

The Red King let out a howl of frustration as he watched the stones that blocked the path of advance. Donald Morgan once again proved to be an annoyingly competent wizard that had little in the way of conscience and restrain. Perhaps better would be none as what he did could have very well collapse the whole tunnel and reveal its existence to the mortals.

"Clear it out," Kukulkan snarled and shoved forward a Duke he deemed as too slow.

The nobles weren't willing to move forward, many of them hiding behind their retinue of half-vampires and ghouls. Kukulkan's gaze focused on them and as one they moved forth. Their actions mechanical and unnatural. It wasn't their own will driving them forth, but the sheer force of will of their liege.

His eyes lingered over them for a second and then whipped towards the form of Marva. His very unlikely ally that could aid him or kill him. He didn't trust her, nor did she trust him, but both of them hated the White Council and what it stood for even more.

"I will carry out my part of the plan," she said, her dessicated and rotten form strangely unsettling. "The White Council caused more than enough troubles for me. Even if I need to sacrifice all of my assets, I will see them gone."

Kukulkan nodded and moved forward. Jumping between the chunks of rock and crushed corpses he pushed on, towards the gate and the wizards standing there. He smashed into some barrier and a hiss left his mouth when his skin was scorched. He paused and analyzed it for a moment before he growled. The deep, guttural noise unsettling the weaker wizards and vampires alike.

"Holy Lance," he said as he prepared his magic. "A weapon I haven't seen in centuries."

He pushed aside the distraction and leaped forward, the force of his will and the magic breaking the barrier. The moment the barrier was gone a wave of offensive magic flew his way, carving deep gouges in the the ranks of his minions yet missing him. He didn't care about them, he could make more if he needed, he was too old to lose this battle.

The White Council was a taint on the structure of the world and the only thing that kept him away from feeding on anybody he desired. Finally he had a chance to achieve his final goal and nobody would stop him, with Merlin dead there was no human wizard that could pose a threat to him.

"Attack!"

Kukulkan's roar sent his minions into a state of a frenzy as they hurled themselves ahead of him. Too scared of his rage and bloodlust to care about the Wardens butchering them by the hundreds. Between the Wardens and the Red King angry at them, most preferred trying to face the Warden.

A slim chance of survival always existed. Even if very slim and almost insignificant, it was better than none when faced with an enraged deity.

"Very good," Mavra commented. "The Wardens are unable to survive war of attrition. Few more hours of this war and they'll eventually run out of manpower. While we have more ghouls and other beings to toss at them."

"Yes and once the Hidden Halls are taken, nobody will be able to stop us." Kukulkan smiled maniacally, looking towards the thin grey line that barely held on. Piles of corpses building up in front of them.

Few more moments and it would break, letting his troops to wash over the remnants of the Wardens and plunder the Halls. Making sure the wizards would never recover from such a blow and leaving humans defenseless.

o-0-o

"We won't aid the White Council," Mab said and the coldness in her voice sent shivers down Harry's spine. "They have the assets to defend themselves and my sister is rushing to their defense. No, we have a bigger issue to deal with."

Harry looked at her, his instincts screaming at him to get away from her. Especially now when he felt that she was at the edge and could order closing of the borders of Winter. "Why?" Harry asked. "They are our ally and we need them to be able to deal with Fomor."

"They are our ally," Mab said and frowned. "An alliance is too much, but you are right in a way. However, the Fomor will seize the opportunity and try to make themselves comfortable in the power vacuum. Which we can't afford. Not now."

"You want to strike them while they get comfortable and think that they're safe," Leanansidhe said, showing her teeth in a predatory smile. "They are very comfortable now, thinking we will rush to the aid of the Council."

"Quite so. That's why Sarissa was told to take a small group of her nobles and ride out with the Wild Hunt." Mab paused and Harry could almost feel glaciers moving beyond Arctis Tor. The realm was getting ready for war and nothing would stop it once it was mobilized. "While she provides us with the distraction. Lea, Harry, you two will travel to the Hebrides. There is a base of the Fomor that should be relatively undefended. Your task is simple, take it, kill whatever is there, take back what can be taken and destroy the rest."

"Why us?" Harry asked as he tried to understand his mother.

"I need to test you and the world needs to know that the Mantle you carry once again exists. Some forgot that there is the Prince and the attack will remind them that there is another player and one they should be aware of," Mab said and looked at Lea, completely ignoring him. "You know your part and you know how to do it."

"Yes," Lea said with a smile. "They shouldn't be able to tell what did happen to them. They are still so vulnerable to the tactics we employed during our last war."

"Last war?" Harry asked. "What last war?"

"One wizards refer to as Sidhe wars. We, Summer and most of Wyldfae versus Fomor in their original composition. We aided Tuatha Dé Danann in their struggle for what now is the Isles. Fomor were too powerful and too dangerous for us to let them crush the Danu," Lea explained. "The hate they feel for us is mostly the effect of that war, Danu won thanks to our support and they still remember that. Even if since then their power waned, until just recently."

"And now they feel brave enough to try to attack us."

"Correct," Mab said, her voice sending shivers down Harry's spine. She seemed rattled and angry in a way. "They were building up their power for ages. Carefully making moves and avoiding drawing attention to themselves while they claimed more and more holdings. The Council being weakened as is and us, too, they felt sudden surge of bravery." Mab allowed herself a smile. "My sister is in Edinburg because she has enough power to hide your presence in Hebrides by simply dueling the Red King. Every wizard or any practitioner that has any sensitivity will see her and let you do your things."

"It sounds fun. Can Aurora and Syd accompany me?"

"If they don't do anything foolish, yes," Lea said and frowned. "Four is a bit riskier than I would have liked, but we will need to split and I feel safer if there is someone else than I in the lair of Fomor."

o-0-o

The door groaned, the hinges croaking with age, the sharp, pitched noise pulling Dumbledore out of the letter he was reading. "Come in!" he called out.

The door fully opened and a rough looking wizard stepped in. "Headmaster," he said with a smile. "I didn't expect to be at Hogwarts any time soon."

Dumbledore allowed himself a smile. "Remus, sit down and help yourself," Dumbledore said as a house elf popped in with a tray with a tea set and cookies.

Remus nodded and sat down on one of the chairs facing the massive desk. The way he sat made Dumbledore frown and pause, he was behaving as if he expected an attack at any moment. "So, Headmaster, I assume I was invited here because of yet another killed DADA teacher?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Dumbledore said and smiled. "Hopefully your tenure will be less disastrous than last few teachers. Quirell died because of Voldemort, Lockhart in the Chamber of Secrets. You have the abilities and knowledge I hope you can pass onto your students and you can make the school safer."

"Sirius Black."

"Indeed, he escaped." Dumbledore looked out of the window wondering if he should share this bit of information. He decided against it. Remus didn't need to know what exactly was happening with Sirius. "The aurors that were chasing him ran into one of the Wardens and a disagreement happened. After that they assumed that he either had to disappear from the Isles or that he was caught by the Wardens."

"But the Ministry thinks he is still in Britain and will try to attack and kill Harry?" Lupin asked, pain visible in the way he spoke and behaved.

"Yes, even if Kingsley and I tried to explain to Fudge that there is a small chance of it happening. For some reason he won't call off the hunt and won't remove the dementors from Hogwarts grounds." Dumbledore shook his head. "I'll make them back off as much as I can, but students will be still exposed to their influence and potentially might be attacked."

"I'll try to teach them about dementors and how to protect themselves. Some that are more capable, I'll teach them the Patronus charm. The rest, I'll see what else can be used to scare away those things."

"Excellent. I hope that before 1st of September I'll see you at the castle."

Remus smiled and shook his head. "I won't arrive ahead of the students. I was planning on taking Hogwarts express and taking a closer look at my new students. Maybe there will be something interesting to be noticed." He paused, his eyes narrowing for a second. "The train will be most likely searched by a squad of aurors and dementors so a teacher there might be helpful."

"I think your idea has some merits, Remus. Do it. If you want, talk with Professor Flitwick. He might be willing to help you in your task and deal with any issues you two might encounter."

o-0-o

Ebenezer parried a strike of a Lord of the Outer Night before impaling the ancient vampire on the Holy Lance. As the carcass of the now dead vampire slid down the leaf-shaped blade he took a look around the battlefield. Only to be thrown to his knees as the border between the Nevernever and the normal world was ripped apart.

The whole tunnel was lit up by the ethereal light as a flood of the Seelie poured out. The Sidhe nobles riding to war on the finest steads they could acquire and armed with weapons from myths and legends. Behind them marched on thousands of the lesser, yet not much less deadly servants of the court. That was on its own a terrible host, what made it even worse was Oberon and Titania leading their army from the front. Spells and magics that didn't see much usage since long forgotten times ripped apart anything and anybody that tried to stop them.

"Red Kings needs to withdraw his forces or they'll get destroyed," Donald Morgan said, the stoic and dour Warden effortlessly holding on his own against a group of Dukes. "He has no way of stopping this. Especially since Mab is not stopping her sister from taking to field. He is powerful, but a Queen on her home turf?"

"That's not happening," Ebenezer said as he stomped on the ground which promptly swallowed a horde of ghouls that was coming towards him. He paused for a second and used the second to clean the Holy Lance from the foul blood. "Kukulkan has no choice and he needs to run."

"He is most likely insane and driven by his lust for blood," Aleron La Fortier said as he appeared behind Ebenezer. "He wouldn't have committed so many resources to this attack if he was smart. No, he is insane and lost his mind. He will call in more forces and attack Summer with all he has at his disposal. That attack made sense as long as Summer didn't answer our call."

"Possibly. He might still be hoping to win the battle." Ebenezer winced in pain, a long gone wound reminding him of its existence. "He is a god after all. A weak one, but a god still. Even Titania will struggle with beating him. Sure, she has the muscle to do it. But that will take time."

"And he might get a lucky shot and wound the Queen enough to make her withdraw. A most unfortunate thing if it was allowed to happen," Morgan said, his sword making a silver arc in the air, followed by the crimson blood of the Dukes that just lost their heads. "She's powerful and we can't lose her as her gone from the battlefield means that Summer pulls back all of its assets and on our own we won't win this battle."

o-0-o

Oberon let out a howl as he reigned in his massive mount, its antlers smashing aside the half-vampires and ghouls that hurled themselves at him. He looked around, his eyes scanning the battlefield and trying to find some sort of an order in the mess that used to be the entrance to the fortress of the White Council.

Now rubble and corpses were laying everywhere with rivers of blood flowing down the tunnel and turning the stone floor into an unpleasantly slippery surface to walk on. Guiding his stead forward Oberon pushed into the throng of the vampires. Their claws, fangs and primitive weapons racking harmlessly against his armor and getting only a careless strikes from him.

"Burn," he whispered.

A cone of fire exploded from his position and moved through the ranks of the vampires. Those lucky enough were incinerated, those less so were left with burns and wounds that turned them into the prey of their unharmed or less wounded brethren. Ignoring the cannibalism Oberon urged his mount to move faster and headed for the thing that shouldn't be here.

"Mavra!" He yelled, the shout making everybody stop for a moment and look in his direction. "Show yourself and fight me!"

Oberon licked his lips, such challenges were risky, but that bloody snake needed to be gone. The sooner, the better and since she so nicely revealed herself he wouldn't let the chance pass. He felt the magic being gathered into a spell he didn't see since the times of the Goths or even before that. He assumed that Stoker did his job good and those pesky pests were gone.

"Oberon, King of Summer," Mavra said as she appeared in front of him. A sword in her hand and a ball of magical fire in the other. "I assumed you died after your last affair with Mab."

Smiling Oberon dismounted and gripped his own sword comfortably. "Rumors of my death are untrue as you can tell." He snorted. "Mab hurt me and I had gone into exile to heal. Now I'm back and we have a score to settle."

"Oh, indeed, we have one." Mavra cackled, around her appearing forms of the vampires of her scourge. "Attack him children, one to kill him will be rewarded."

Oberon didn't even say a word, he just snapped his fingers and the vampires were turned into fine examples of apple trees. "Really? Really? Sic them at me."

Mavra hurled herself at him, her sword barely stopped by him at the very last moment. He shoved it aside and thrust his own blade. She barely managed to avoid getting impaled and leaped away. "You're good."

"I'm the King of Summer, not some silly human practitioner that doesn't know their trade." He batted aside her spells, with each one making a step forward and getting closer to her. "You'll die today."

"Only you think it can happen. I'm immortal."

Oberon's eyes lit up with something malign and cold as fires started to dance in his hair. "We both know you lie," he said and gripped her by the neck, ignoring the hands that tried to stop him. Or the sword embedded in his arm. "Now die!"

He snapped her neck, the crack of the bone breaking audible in the silence that formed around them. As he dropped the corpse onto the ground a some kind of a collective sense of relief washed over everybody. One of the old evils of the world was gone and the struggle against the darkness was easier.

o-0-o

"It's the time," Lea whispered as the four of the stepped out of the Nevernever. "I showed you all the layout of this place and told you what to do. Syd, Harry, you'll go first and draw the attention of guards. I and Aurora are going to loot the treasury and destroy what we can."

Harry grumbled under his breath as he slipped the bow off his back and looked across the desolate shore. Somewhere there should be some guards. Fomor were known for being paranoid and cautious. Lack of guards would be strange.

"They're hidden under a veil," Syd commented and Harry scowled at his friend. "You should have been able to notice them. You're Winter Prince now."

Harry scowled at his friend and then pulled on the powers of the mantle. For a second nothing happened, but then his vision sharpened and he almost effortlessly saw the outlines of the guards. He glanced at Lea who smiled and wrapped herself and Aurora in a veil.

"Let's get their attention," he murmured, kneeling behind a rock outcropping and firing a single arrow at the nearest one. The arrow zipped across the hundred yards of the open space and embedded itself in the chest of the servitor. The human thrall let out a piercing shriek as he and others dropped their veils. "Huh, that must have gotten their attention."

"It certainly did," Syd said as he gripped his own bow and started to shoot at the rushing wave of thralls. He smiled thinly and indicated one depression in the stone, partially obscured by several boulders. "That's where they have their entrance or one of them."

Harry squinted, stopping to fire for a second and looking where Syd was pointing to. "You seem to be right." He sent a gust of chill wind towards the thralls and resumed shooting them. "That's probably where they'll also enter the maze to loot the treasury."

Nodding Syd slowed down his shooting and instead freed glaive from his back and placed it close-by. "Sooner or later they'll get to us," he said and smirked. "I prefer an impaled thrall over dead me."

"A reasoning I appreciate." Harry licked his lips nervously. He was unused to such a slaughter like the one this skirmish was quickly turning into. The thralls were too few to get close to so they were shooting them before any could do any harm to them. The lifeless bodies of the humans that were kidnapped by the Fomor littered the shore between them and the entrance.

The thralls stood little of a chance against a single Sidhe warrior, against a pair of them they stood no chance bar a surprise attack. They were slower, physically weaker, lacked the sharpness of the senses of the Sidhe and they were mindless drones, unable to think creatively. They just followed orders ingrained in their brains.

"Why won't any Fomor come out and fight us?" Harry asked as he hurled a dagger at the thrall that got way too close for his comfort. "We just murder their thralls and the supply of those should end at one point."

"If I have to assume why," Syd said and Harry glanced at him. "I would say that the mantle makes them scared. They think that you are Mab and well, everybody is scared of her."

"Maeve is scary," Harry said and snorted. "My mother is awfully scary and dangerous. Sarissa is not much better."

"And you wonder why am I so afraid of them," Syd said, grabbing his glaive, spinning and driving the blade into the neck of the thrall that surprised them. The body dropped onto the ground and then he stabbed it in the chest. Sternum breaking under the force of the strike with a sickening crunch. "That was close."

o-0-o

Aurora slipped from shadow to shadow following Lea and not trusting the veils they wove around each other. Fomor were annoyingly good at seeing through them. A pair of thralls at the entrance that almost caught them was still fresh.

"The deeper we get, the bigger the chance something spots us," Lea said, a dagger in her hand. "If we get spotted. Split and run in some other direction than I. I have your hair, you have mine. We can track each other."

"Staying together is safer," Aurora pointed out as they passed by a holding cell full of human of all ages. "The thralls?"

Lea nodded. "To be thralls, yes. They'll brainwash them, modify with magic and turn into thralls. They follow orders, don't ask questions and never waver. Perfect, but dumb soldiers. Driven by the orders of the one that made them. Or in case said Fomor is gone, by whatever routine orders they have."

"That doesn't sound like a good warrior," Aurora commented, her cat-like eyes searching for any threats or dangers towards them.

"They have their uses." Lea suddenly stopped and indicated a wall ahead of them. Her eyes widened as she reached to her belt and pulled the athame from its scabbard. "We have company."

"Who?"

"Hard to say. They're powerful and feel someone is here." Lea's whole form shimmered for a second. Once the shimmer was gone she barely managed to remain standing, making Aurora rush towards her and try to support her. "That was close. That was way too close."

"What was that?" Aurora asked, reaching out with her magic senses into the space around them. "Balor?"

Lea nodded and pulled Aurora, almost running through the maze of the corridors. Each turn and intersection getting them deeper and deeper into the myriad chambers, hallways, vaults and cells that made the stronghold of the Fomor. As they finally stopped deep below the ground Aurora could see the water dripping from the ceiling and their breaths turning the into fine mist.

"Balor makes the whole thing troublesome," Lea said, the athame in her second hand glowing with faint light. "We can take him out, but his death will draw attention to us." She licked her lips and Aurora could see Lea tighten her grip on the athame. "We need to loot the treasury and get out of here. Anything more is beyond our power."

"Can't you take him out as we leave? Kill him and disappear into the Nevernever."

"Young lady. Do you wish to temp the fate? Fomor are dangerous and if we do this that will lead them straight into the lands of Winter." Lea said and shook her head. "No, as much as his death would please me. He needs to escape this mess alive. Even if we take him out without leaving tracks all over the place it will be extremely dangerous and he is one of the signatories of the Accords."

Aurora paled a bit as she wrapped and unwarepped her whip around her hand. She did it to try to calm her emotions and regain some measure of control over them. This situation, their position, shouldn't have made her so agitated. Yet she was a bundle of emotions and couldn't force her mind to focus on anything.

Lea saw her behavior and kneeled in front of her, pulling out a small bottle from a pouch she had at her hip. "Drink it," she whispered, opening the bottle and almost shoving it into Aurora's mouth. "It will help your nerves."

Aurora gulped the foul tasting mixture, even if it tasted badly and didn't smell that much better it had some calming effect on her body and let her relax. She didn't know what it was, nor how it was made, but she was glad it calmed her down.

"If he is here, we need to be careful." Lea forced to open a door of a chamber and pushed Aurora inside, not caring about the protests of the younger Sidhe. "The treasury is directly below us. We can't afford the time like we originally planned to go there without any magic."

"You plan to collapse the roof of it and let us drop down?"

Lea nodded and with a piece of chalk she drew several arcane symbols on the floor around them before channeling her magic. Magic flowed between the runes and then flared up, emerald flames shooting high before disappearing as suddenly as they appeared. Then nothing for a second happened before the floor slowly disappeared and they gently glided into the treasury vault.

The vault was filled with gems, gold and silver in such quantities that made Aurora wonder who really owned the place. The Fomor weren't supposed to have so much wealth. Yet she also knew that those things could just be a distraction, a way to hide the truth wealth in form of the magical tomes, artifacts or objects of great power.

"Illusions," Leanansidhe snorted. "All of those gems and silver and gold are an illusion. A good one, but an illusion." She clapped her hands twice and the immeasurable wealth of the Fomor was gone. Instead on the floor there was a pair of chests. "Now, this is much better."

"Chests?" Aurora stalked forward and without much subtlety drove the tip of her dagger under the lid of the chest, trying to force it to open. The aged wood croaked and groaned before giving up. She lifted the lid and looked inside, only to see a pair of ancient stone tablets. "With stone tablets?"

Leanansidhe stopped next to her and peered at the tablets, in such a way that it made Aurora feel as if she was looking at a dangerous viper that could bite her. "Yes, Tablets of the Law if I'm not mistaken. They're supposedly locked in one of the vaults of the White Council."

"Supposedly?" Aurora said with a frown. "Someone seems to have a very bad guard detachment there. I can feel the power reek from it. Even the most insensitive practitioner should be able to notice it."

"It is possible," Lea walked across the chamber and opened the second chest. "My, my, we seem to hit a goldmine. Two artifacts I thought were locked away or gone." She turned towards Aurora and glanced at the chest with the Tablets. "Close it and then we get out of here."

o-0-o

Titania floated above the dust and grime of the battlefield, her green dress flowing behind aż she glided forth with orbs of fire and light dancing around her figure. Incinerating everybody that got too close to her and attacking those that managed to draw her ire. She glanced back, her predatory features relaxing slightly as she saw the wizards push back with vampires losing ground. Meter by meter, but they were losing the ground and there was no way they could stop it.

A powerful force of will, one of a minor deity started to press against her. Titania stopped for a second, her eyes narrowing as she looked for its owner. There weren't that many deities after all and most knew it was a dangerous thing to try to stop a Queen of the Summer Court.

"Kukulkan."

As she said those words vegetation exploded around her. Vines, flowers, bushes and trees growing so quickly that most of the tunnel was turned into a dense, primordial forest. Dozens, if not hundreds of thralls, half-vampires, vampires and other creatures was trapped by the plants and unable to escape their doom. While somehow all of the wizards of the White Council avoided getting trapped by the quickly growing plants.

With each new plant that appeared Titania could feel more and more power enter her. Nature, wild and untamed nature strengthened her in a way nothing else, not even ley lines could.

"Titania," the King of the Red Court said, his voice hoarse and dripping with venom. "I didn't expect to see you here. I thought that your sister kept you busy and you would remain in the Fae land.'

Titania watched him for several long seconds, each of them resulting in more and more plants exploding around her and filling the air with magical energy. "Mab," she finally said. "Mab and I don't agree on many things. But we agree that some pests need to be kept under control. You withdraw your forces to Chichen Itza and we both walk away alive. You stay and one of us will be dead by the end of it."

"You are brave, Queen of the Evergreen," Kukulkan hissed as he changed into his true, bat-like form. "You are really brave, challenging me to an open fight. In place where I have more allies and power than you."

"Perhaps." Her burning red eyes watched the Red King intently, looking for any sign of weakness she could utilize. "Or perhaps, it is you who is wrong."

o-0-o

 **A/N – Yes, Titania is investing a lot of her resources into the battle. Outside of Mother Summer, everybody else is somewhere in the mess and they're chopping apart the vamps or ride in the Wild Hunt. Yes, next chapter will be Wild Hunt having fun when most of the Red Court is currently murdered.**

 **Reviews:**

 **suikofan –** you're not wrong, like even in the canon he fits that decently well. Here he has even more reasons as while now Wardens are busy with butchering vamps, soon they'll have time to pull back and look for issues that flew under the radar because vamps were the no 1 issue.

 **Eternity456** – he has the brute power to tell Lady of the Court sod off, the issue is how well he manages it and in that department he is still a baby and most of the Senior Council and probably a fair few from the ranks of the Wardens could hand him his ass. Remember, power, brute power doesn't give victory.

If they get caught by him in the Nevernever and especially in the land of Fae where he de facto makes reality whatever he feels like reality should be and can tell them, nope, we're not running away their chances are slim. But then, if they're there, they're either idiotic or very sure of themselves and know they can do harm to him.

There's also one factor, he can't really die unless on 31st October so he can do stupid things that normally they wouldn't do because death and such.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N – Another chapter and more torturing you with cliffhangers and**

Harry kicked away a thrall, his sword slashing out and cutting across the neck of another as he looked at Syd. "Do you have any arrows left?"

"No," his friend and bodyguard said, his own glaive carving a deep gash in the chest of a monster that lashed out at him. "The servitors took all of them." Grimacing he drove the glaive deeper, a tired smile appearing on his face as he heard the howls turn into pained yelps. "And I don't think we could do much against those things. They're too stubborn to die. And too tough."

Keeping a thrall safe distance from his body Harry scowled, his eyes turning dark blue as winds howled and a snowstorm came almost from nowhere. It blew away and onto the jagged rocks the monster Syd was fighting with, before making servitors that still were alive behave as if they were leaves on the wind.

"Nice work, Harry." At the noise Harry spun in place, his sword thrusting out, only to be lowered when he recognized Lea and Aurora. "Time to go back to Arctis Tor. We have what we came for and there is someone I don't want to face unprepared."

"One of their warlords?" Syd asked, wiping blood from his brow. "Or someone worse?"

"Your father knows," Lea said and frowned for a second, her eyebrows scrunching up on her noble and in a way predatory looking face. "He shouldn't be dangerous, but even in the old days he was a threat and now perhaps is even bigger one. I and Harry have the raw power to beat him, but the fight is undesirable."

Harry nodded, his eyes glowing with power as he tore a way into the Nevernever. What he did was not gentle, nor a very delicate work that was done by more magically subtle beings. He used the brute force of his magic to force reality to move and open a window into the Nevernever.

"You lack subtlety," Lea chided him as they slipped into the Nevernever. "Ripping holes in the reality works, just is extremely inefficient and tends to tell everybody someone is or was there."

"You didn't teach me how to be subtle about it," Harry said with a shrug as he looked at the snow covered landscape of the lands of Winter. "And the Mantle suggested this way."

"Well, the Mantle is not wrong. It's just as I said, a bad way and the Mantle is not know all things being." Lea paused for a second, her hands mindlessly trailing to her athame. "It knows a lot and can do a lot, but it hasn't been able to acquire as much knowledge and power as say the Mantle of the Lady or the Queen and you're not exactly the prime target for taking any Mantle."

Harry narrowed his eyes as snow started to move behind him, reacting to his anger and the raw magic he was putting into the air. "Explain, now," he said slowly. The words as cold as ice and none of his usual casualness or friendliness in them.

Smiling Lea looked at him and snorted. "Good attempt, but you're too young and too inexperienced to imitate your mother well. But a good attempt nonetheless." She smiled then and looked at the horizon where the spires of Arctis Tor were visible. "Let's walk to the castle and I'll explain it once we're inside. Some of this knowledge needs to stay in a place where we know there are no spies."

"Do you call me a spy?" Aurora asked, daggers in her hands and her eyes burning with passion. "Or do you call my brother one?"

Lea laughed and pointed at the sky. "Someone is scrying and while Mab does what she can to obscure the view, wasteland is far from important places for her to protect." Becoming serious Lea looked at the three of them. "Whoever it is, they are powerful and they know what they are doing. Or at the very least attempting to do."

"Fomor?" Syd guessed, his predatory eyes looking for any enemies in the snow around them.

"Considering the way we left." Lea shrugged and cast a look at Harry. "And considering the way he ripped the veil between the worlds. Yes, if I have to name someone that has everything to spy on us. Yes, Fomor fit the description perfectly. So, let's not tempt the fate and get to the fortress."

o-0-o

" _Perhaps." Titania's burning red eyes watched the Red King intently, looking for any sign of weakness she could utilize. "Or perhaps, it is you who is wrong."_

As Titania spoke those words from the smoke that lazily floated above the battlefield and the vegetation that appeared after her arrival stepped out a pair of beings. One of them a female strikingly similar in appearance to her and with a very similar aura of power and danger. Second, an elderly looking humanoid goat with a staff in one hand and magic rolling off in waves from them.

"Are you so sure you stand a chance against me?" Titania asked as she looked at her companions. "Are you certain, the Queen and the Lady and their most powerful advisor are unable to defeat one vampire that claims to be a god?"

"I. Am. A. God!" Kukulkan roared as through the sheer force of his will chunks of stone and bodies of dead lifted themselves from the ground before hurling themselves towards Titania.

Titania's eyes didn't even narrow as she deftly moved forward, bushes of thistle exploding in front of her and growing denser by the second, their branches thickening and thorns becoming more pronounced. "Really," she calmly said, watching as the barrier stopped everything he hurled at her. "Really? Trying to attack me through the most basic and primitive means? Ones aren't even used by the most idiotic of human wizards?"

The Red King didn't say a word and Titania's eyes widened as she felt, didn't even see moving towards her. She jumped out of the way of him, balls of fire exploding from her and hurling themselves towards him. "You're not as good as the rumors say you are," he croaked, landing on the ground and throwing himself at her. "You're slow."

"You think so, monster." She grabbed him out of the air and hurled towards the Eldest Gruff. "Now!"

At Titania's words the ground in front of the Eldest Gruff exploded. Vines shooting from the ground and flying towards the Red King, trying to snare him and drag towards the ground. Kukulkan didn't give them a chance, his leathery wings flapped and he threw himself at the ceiling. There he disappeared in the darkness and the nooks and crannies of the sculpting that covered it.

"We lost him, " Lily said as she joined Titania. "I can't sense him."

"He will come back. He doesn't retreat from such battles," Titania said as her eyes burned with energy and passion. "He is too stubborn and now his pride is hurt. He doesn't forget such things. And he knows if we are here and don't let him escape, he can't."

"The Nevernever is too turbulent to enter safely." The Eldest Gruff joined them, his staff striking against the stone. "Mab stole things of importance to the Enemy and the Enemy is unsettling it. Our presence here doesn't help."

"Do you know what exactly did she steal?" Titania asked, with one eye watching a quickly moving patch of shadow. It was too fast moving to be an event of nature and it was heading straight for them.

"Some of the relics of the White God." The Eldest Gruff looked at her and then nodded in understanding before striking the ground with his staff. Vines exploded from him and trapped the shadow which turned into one of the Lords of the Outer Night. "Not the one we fished for." The ancient fae commented and struck the head of the vampire with his staff. "But his master will come sooner or later."

Titania nodded in agreement, her eyes narrowed as magic swirled around her in a dangerous vortex of raw power and energy. She felt Kukulkan try to slide unseen across the ceiling, almost as if he glued himself to the wall hoping that the shadows and darkness would protect him. Titania allowed him to live in that bliss for a couple of seconds, then she snapped her fingers and the ceiling erupted in an explosion of magic and vegetation.

Bushes, trees, vines and roots of many plants appeared, as if from nowhere. The power of Titania filling the air and the wild magic flowing through the leylines made them grow even faster than other plants she so far summoned. Their roots and branches behaved as if they had a single mind and a single purpose. Catch Kukulkan and snare him down so that he couldn't escape.

The Red King was a powerful vampire and a deity, yet even he couldn't run away from a wave of vines, branches, roots and even whole trees appearing in his path and chasing him. A snarl got out of his mouth as he ripped a vine from his arm before getting trapped when branches of an oak caught his legs.

"I thought it would take me more to catch you," Titania said as she walked forward, a rapier in her hand, tongues of flames dancing across the graceful and slim silver blade. "What should I do with you? I can execute you like a pest you are, but then, the Fomor will be a problem." She looked at him, her eyes narrowed as she slowly lifted the blade she held and rested it against his sternum. The flames that kept dancing across the metal started to burn his skin and the stench of burnt flesh started to float across the corridor. "Tell me, what should I do with you?"

"Kill me," Kukulkan hissed and spat onto Titania. "Your kind will soon die if you kill me and I want nothing more than you and your damned sister dead." He paused for a second, as if savoring a thought of the Fae Queen dead. "They are coming." Kukulkan smirked. "You and I know that. The Fomor are coming and not much can stop them."

"You are not wrong," Titania said as she gently pressed the rapier against his skin, the blade licked the skin and cut through it, resting against the sternum. Yet a stronger push and it could easily embed itself in his heart. "However, I can maim you enough for you to take few years to recover." She smiled and twisted the blade, pressing even harder against it. A dry crack of bone giving up ripped across the corridor, a scream of Kukulkan following it. "You will be fine with a heart pierced. You are immortal, like I am."

"You...need...me," Kukulkan rasped, blood dripping from his mouth. "You...need...the...warriors...I...have."

Slowly withdrawing the blade Titania watched him, her own flaming eyes focused on his cold, deep, emotionless ones. "I have a need for the troops of your court," she said after a moment. "Yet, I have no need for you and your court holding so much power." She started to once again push the blade into his flesh, not caring about his howls. "I'll let you live." The rapier pierced Kukulkan's heart and for several seconds Titania watched the struggles of the ancient vampire. "But for a price."

"What do you want of me?"

"On the Yuletide night the White Council will host a summit, an Unseelie Accords summit, in say London and during it we will discuss the war you so foolishly started." Titania drove the rapier deeper before pulling it out. "You and your court will pay weregild for every single wizard slain by your warriors and you will hand over to the White Council every single practitioner you hide. Those two things you will do within next two weeks. If you fail..."

"I will personally come to Copan or Chichen Itza and drag you out of your fortress before murdering you," Oberon said as he joined them. He watched Kukulkan for few seconds then he finally smiled as he turned to look at Titania. "I never imagined you to be so vicious and ruthless." He bowed his head gently in respect. "It is hard to torture a deity well. And he seems very broken."

"I would advise that he is released," Eldest Gruff said as he cleared his throat. "While torturing him is certainly worthwhile and amusing. He needs to not die and he soon just might do that. A thing that would greatly inconvenience us."

Titania looked at the struggling form of the Red King and nodded, unraveling the vines and roots holding him. The second it happened he was gone, only a trail of blood suggesting where did he go. Not that anybody in the right mind would or honestly could chase him. She was exhausted by the fight and she knew that in the state Kukulkan was, he was still dangerous and could kill the Lady or the Eldest Gruff.

"Don't chase him," she said softly. "Instead focus on the forces he left. Those will need a lot of convincing to go away."

o-0-o

A hiss got out of Harry's throat as he lowered himself into the hot springs below the fortress. Lea wanted to see them, but first he needed some sinful pleasure and relaxation time to let his sore, sore body relax and help his muscles recover. He also needed a moment to be just alone, without anybody being there when he tried to process the events of the past few hours.

Until now the Mantle, the strange being he shared his body and mind with, and adrenaline kept him running. Now the Mantle withdrew, yet still he could summon its powers and knowledge at will and the adrenaline was gone completely leaving him an emotional wreck that needed time to recover.

Killing was so easy for him, so fast, so simple and so mechanical after a while. He stopped caring he was doing it and that servitors, no, humans, Harry corrected his mind, were losing theirs lives at his hand. He closed his eyes and he could see their faces as lives were snuffed out of their eyes by the arrows that were piercing their hearts, necks and eyes... Some of them didn't even seem aware of dying, while some seemed to beg him not to kill them.

A trickle of tears raced from the corner of his eye and down his cheek.

Killing, it all felt so pointless and so horrid. Yet the colder, more logical side of his mind was telling him he needed to do it. He needed to do it to survive and live on, the life of an Unseelie was not an easy, nor a nice one. Death was their constant companion, same as lust and vices and there was nothing they could do to run away from it.

"Snap out of it!"

Opening his eyes Harry noticed he was facing a copy of himself, or at least somewhat that was very closely related to him in more than one way. The same green eyes, the same scar on his forehead, the same predatory and haughty looks. Yet the being, him, whatever, was more noble, dangerous and much, much more mature and the hair wholly turned white.

"What are you?" Harry asked and paused for a second, licking his lips in uncertainty. "Or perhaps who?"

"It depends on what do you want to hear." The being smiled and looked for few seconds at his neatly trimmed nails covered with blue nail polish. One that greatly reminded Harry of Mab. "You could tell me the avatar of the Mantle or your inner I. Or your voice of reason. I'm whatever you think I am, I can be one or I can be all of them."

Harry frowned, his eyes turned into slits. "Why should I listen to you and don't just tell you to sod off?" He quietly asked and smiled coldly. "I mean, I doubt you are real in the first place."

"I am not real, well, nobody else can't see you." The being laughed. "They can't also hear us talking. I am real in the way that I exist in your mind as a part of it you can't be rid of. Normally I let you be the driver, but when you screw up I might need to step in before the Mantle really decides to step in."

"The Mantle can do it?"

"Step in? Sure, it can. And you don't want to allow it to do it." The being tsked in annoyance. "But back to the topic. You seem way too trusting, which perhaps is not a bad trait. Anyways, snap out of the brooding and sulking or the Mantle and more dangerous parts of your nature might take control of your mind." The being paused and focused on braiding and unbraiding his silver hair, as if Harry didn't exist for them. For several tense seconds Harry looked at them, the only noise was that of water clashing against the walls of the pool and their bodies. "I don't say that you shouldn't sulk, just be mindful of what you do and try not to make your mind so vulnerable. If I didn't step in, the Mantle would have grabbed control."

Harry sighed and eyed whatever was the thing that was talking with him. "How am I supposed to deal with the guilt and grief? Like I killed them because I didn't really have a choice, but it wasn't good nor was really necessary."

"It was necessary." Harry jerked in surprise, his nostrils flaring in anger. "If you wouldn't do this, there was a good chance those servitors would have caught your lover or Leanansidhe. Fomor do terrible things to anybody they catch, no matter if human or fae or deity. For many of them what you did was probably a much, much better fate than letting them be enslaved without any control over their bodies or minds." The being shrugged. "I'm not saying that you need to agree with me on killing is something we do because we can and we like it. What I'm trying to say is that in the event like this, it was the best choice out of bad choices."

Harry closed his eyes and slowly submerged himself in the water, hissing in pain at how hot water was. He felt strange, yet the heat and the momentary discomfort caused by it let him relax in a way. His mind felt clear and focused on a singular purpose and task.

What he heard and thought on his own suddenly made sense, his mind piecing them all into a coherent image. An image that was more bereable for him then the images of the dead servitors flashing in front of his eyes. He really needed to learn how to deal with all of the death and destruction that came with being a Sidhe, technically a half-blood one, he corrected himself. But a Sidhe still and there was nothing he could do to avoid the duties that came with him being the Prince.

Not now, especially not now. He knew how high the stakes were and how badly they were looking. He needed to remain focused on the goal and on the survival of the world. Anything else and his mind would slip into the oblivion of madness.

A stream of bubbles got out of Harry's mouth and finally he pushed himself to the surface, catching his breath as he emerged from it. When he looked around there was no presence of the being he was talking with, yet he still could feel its presence. Somewhere, somehow it didn't leave him, but was around him. Just out of his reach or maybe even less, but it was there.

"That was... strange," he said, shaking his head and running his hand through the hair. "I expected something else." He splashed some water onto his face, hissing as the hot liquid hit his skin. He hated the pain, but it was a good wake up call, one he badly needed.

o-0-o

Thomas hissed in pain as he watched a doctor sewed together the skin on his arm. That ghoul got too close to him, way too close for his own comfort and safety. He didn't expect that battle to be so vicious, deadly and at the same time strange in a way.

One moment ghouls were howling and attacking them as if there was no tomorrow, second, they were running away as if Thomas' sheer presence was a threat to them. He didn't understand what happened, yet he was extremely glad that it happened. If it didn't happen, they all would have been dead long before the end of the battle.

The door creaked open and looking up he saw his sister, Lara, walk in. Her clothes were more like bloody rags than the pristine and expensive pieces of fashion they once were. Yet compared to him she seemed unscathed, her injuries minor and few. "Hello, dear sister," he said, his smile twisted by the grimace of pain. "You look as charming and beautiful as always."

"Cut the crap," she hissed. "I don't want the niceties. Especially not now."

He blinked, Lara's voice was not one he was used to. A lot more hostile and demanding. "What's wrong?"

"The whole affair is wrong." She stalked to the window and looked out of it. "The White Council pulled in Titania. She almost murdered Kukulkan and her lovely husband, Oberon, of all fucking fae as if she wasn't bad enough on her own murdered Mavra. Not even a sliver of her is left behind. She's as dead as she can be."

"Oberon, wasn't he supposed to be dead?" Thomas asked and frowned, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as he tried to calm down. "I mean, all you and father taught me about him is that he is a myth. Dead after that triangle with Mab and Titania.

"Because he was assumed dead." Lara turned and faced him, her nostrils flared in fear and eyes black as if her demon was about to take control of her. "This whole battle, this whole war was a set up. One we didn't see until we were dragged into it for good. So simple, yet so clever."

"The start of it was arranged by the Red Court." Thomas narrowed his eyes. "They wanted Dresden to attack Bianca or Beatrice or whatever was the name of the Red Court Countness he murdered. He was just a handy pretext for the whole conflict to start."

"And that was just the layer they wanted us to see. My dear little brother, we all were played, like idiots." She shook her head and scoffed. "The Red Court was the one that got played the most. Granted, they wanted this to happen, but not now and someone pushed for them to attack right now and get bloodied."

"Lara, but who would have the reason to do this all?"

"We will talk about this once in a more secure location." She paused and swallowed. "They have agents in our house and I don't quite know where or whom they are so I don't want to talk about them with the agents possibly next to you and me."

Thomas grunted and sent away the doctor. He flexed his hand, wincing at the burning sensation, but he knew that even just the stitches would be enough for his own body to do the rest. He sat up from the chair and looked at Lara, his eyes focused on spotting the minutiae details that normally didn't matter since she knew how to hide them.

Now however he could tell she was scared. No, she was terrified of something, terrified so badly that she couldn't maintain the perfect image she normally presented to the world and even to the family. Whatever it was that scared her enough, was dangerous and he didn't even have a desire to learn its name.

"So what's the plan?"

"We continue along our old. No point changing it just now. Maybe later. Now heal and once you recover, Hogwarts visit time is upon you. We need an anchor there and we need it fast." Lara narrowed her eyes and smiled at Thomas. "I hope that you know how to charm Sidhe nobles as you might run into quite a few of those and I don't want to see them return me your head."

"I can manage that sis," Thomas said and winked at her, a confident smile on his face. "I dealt with worse beings than them."

o-0-o

"The Red Court will agree to the terms that Titania forced onto them," Sarissa said and Mab nodded absently. "The Red King is too weak now to do much about them and even if he wanted to do much about them. His Court is out of manpower for few years. Not that Council is that much better."

"The Council can recover much, much faster," Mab said and Sarissa looked at her in surprise. "Yes, they have fewer members, but there are a lot of practitioners out there that need to be found and you my daughter will meet with the Merlin once he recovers and offer him help in tracking them all down." Mab allowed herself a cold smile of satisfaction. "They will be hissing and attacking us, but they know it is something they need."

"Will they agree tho?" Sarissa smoothed out her robe and corrected her hair before reaching for a wineglass standing on a small table between them. "The Senior Council knows well that we don't do things out of the goodness of our hearts. Besides, we cannot do things for free and they know that our help will be a part of a bargain they'll need to pay sooner or later." Sarissa paused for a second to sip the wine. "They know that well and are even more aware of how dangerous bargains with Fae can be. Even for other fae."

"They have not many good options to choose from and they probably will leap at our offer." Mab's green, cat-like eyes narrowed and she analyzed the pattern of the snowflakes falling outside of the spire. "They also know about how expensive bargains with me can be, but this one time they will swallow that bitter pill and probably hope they can pay me off in the distant future. A thing I'm fine with as they are of great use to me and I need their manpower and capabilities in places where I cannot act on my own."

"They are also annoyingly autonomous and capable of complicating our own plans."

"As everybody can do it." Mab laughed coldly. "But I'll admit, they are very good at complicating my plans in ways I didn't anticipate. However, considering their position, I don't think they will be willing to annoy me and instead they will focus their attention on other matters. Matters that need their attention and went without it for far too big of a span of time."

"The Isles?"

"Among other things, but the Isles have things they need to tackle and once again secure." Mab sat up and moved towards the window. "The Fomor, Harry and Lea are back and what they did bring is worrying."

"Two artifacts that were thought lost to the time."

"The Council wanted that to be believed. They had them in their custody all the time. Just pretended they were destroyed in the burning of the Library." Mab turned and looked at Sarissa. "What I mean is something else. They could steal artifacts from the White Council with the White Council none the wiser that they lost them. That's a much, much more worrying issue. Especially considering what we store in our own vaults."

"Maeve-" Sarissa hissed with venom barely concealed in her voice.

"Maeve did nothing, so far." Mab shook her head gracefully and smiled. "I would have known if she did something. But yes, she can do something and I don't like that. You will be tasked with reviewing the security measures and changing them so that Maeve can't access the vaults without my prior knowledge."

"Of course, mother."

o-0-o

"So, explanation time. Now," Harry said as he looked at Lea. "Explain to me what do you know about Mantles and what should I know about them."

Lea looked at him, her fiery hair moving in strange ways and then she smiled. "A brave and foolish Prince you are," she said, a smirk dancing across her lips. "Trying to demand knowledge from me. Knowledge I mentioned I would give you. You do know whom I am in the Irish legends?" Her smirk grew and she licked her lips, as if he was a meal for her. "Well, if you knew, you would know not to phrase your questions that way."

Harry frowned, the way she spoke and behaved rattled something inside of him. Something he not quite was aware that he possessed. "I do not know whom you are for the Irish or other Celts." He shrugged. "At Hogwarts we didn't learn about Sidhe or Faerie, at all. We didn't learn much about any myths, mythologies, monsters from them or the monsters that even roam the forests around Hogwarts."

Tsking Lea moved forward, her fiery red hair changing into pitch black and her green dress turning into a much colder and dangerous looking blue one. "You disappoint me. You are a son of Mab and an Olympian. Yet you are so blind about the world, the monsters that prey on the humanity, the denizens of the Nevernever and so much more." She stopped in front of Harry and looked into his eyes. "Somehow you live on. Even if the world should have killed you ages ago. You live on."

"I have luck and seem to know what to do when in danger."

"That you do." She smiled, perhaps genuine or not. That was not a thing Harry could tell easily. She was capable of twisting the words into shapes she fancied and not many were capable of understanding her true intention and he certainly was not one of them. "But as to what I said originally. I am a Sidhe that happily provides information and inspiration to anybody that desires it." Leanansidhe's smile sent shivers down Harry's spine. It was so primal and dangerous and feral in a way he didn't even want to be in the same room as she was. "But I did it for a price."

"As we all do," Harry remarked. "We all want something in exchange. We can't function in any other way. We need a bargain to be struck. Knowledge is expensive, even if I don't like it."

Lea nodded as she placed her hand on his shoulder, her fingers digging into his clothes and the skin below. "That lesson you received," she whispered as she leaned over him, her head almost resting on his shoulder. She smiled and he could see blood lust in her eyes. "Their lives when I found it entertaining. So be cautious young prince what do you ask me to do as you might get in return something you didn't quite expect."

Shuddering Harry shoved her away, his hands hitting her roughly and pushing away from him. As he looked at her he could see that she was surprised by the sudden aggression he was showing. Yet seemed pleased by it, too. "Stay away from me," he hissed, a dagger appearing in his hand. "I don't enjoy you being, you being so close to me."

"You should have mentioned that before."

Harry shook his head. "You are..."

"Am I what?" Lea asked sweetly as she laughed, her voice making Harry wince in pain. "I assure you that I didn't show you the worst, not yet anyways. As for your original question, the Mantles. I suppose that I can share some information with you for a price you'll know in due time."

"In due time?" Harry frowned, then his eyes lit up in anger. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying to you." She paused. "We can't lie. It's not in our nature and you know that."

"Nothing stops you from hiding things from me. That's not a lie. Just you not liking to share data with me."

"Well, you are not wrong." Harry crossed hands in front of his chest, making Lea snort in amusement. "You are not your mother or father for that matter and your posturing is amusing. But not dangerous or scary. A vial filled with your blood would work quite nicely as a payment."

"Which won't happen. Never." Harry's form shifted as he moved forward, his legs faced a bit further apart. "Blood is powerful and I don't want you to be able to have me under your control when you feel like it. I don't know much about the way you make your magic, but I know my blood in your hands... Is bad."

"And you won't get the information you seek from me," Lea said and smiled before vanishing in a swirl of snow.

"That bitch!" Harry spat as he looked around the chamber. "Where are you?"

o-0-o

Leananisdhe laughed as she appeared on the battlements of the fortress. Her fiery red hair flying in the strong gusts of the wind. Harry was so easy to play and so amusing at the same time. He was naive and somewhat foolish, well, she corrected herself. He was goofy, not foolish and she didn't want to know into what he would grow up if given training and education he was now receiving.

"Leanansidhe." The voice and its tone made Lea pause as her blood quite literally froze. Only one being had that effect on her and she really didn't want to see her mad as Mab being enraged was a thing not many wanted to confront.

o-0-o


End file.
